


Lost And Found

by MissYuki1990



Category: Gundam Wing, Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: AU, Angst, Blood, Crossover, Drama, F/M, M/M, Slash, Time Travel, Violence, explicit content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-09
Updated: 2014-12-08
Packaged: 2018-02-28 17:44:24
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 72,400
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2741384
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissYuki1990/pseuds/MissYuki1990
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What does it mean to be a True Hero? Being praised and adored for many heroic acts? Having masses bow at your feet and look up at you for saving them? Or does it mean being lonely in your sorrows, misunderstood and weighed down by the expectations of the world? Can anyone even truly love a True Hero, or do they love the idea, the thought of holding the True Hero's love and loyalty? Is there even such a thing as a True Hero or is that merely a legend?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**cut**

**Disclaimer:** **I claim no rights to the characters of Harry Potter and Gundam Wing. They belong to their respective creators.**

**Warnings:** **slash, violence, OOC, AU, explicit content, angst, drama  
**

**cut**

It happened so long ago.

So long ago that, in fact, he can hardly remember anymore.

All he can remember are feelings, and flashes of images. He remembers a great battle. He remembers the scent of blood; screams of pain and terror.

He remembers pain and desperation.

And then everything stopped.

All of a sudden he felt peace.

He felt as though he was liberated from everything; from pain, from sorrow, from suffering.

All he has known since then was this peace; endless silence and peace.

He does not know how much time has passed.

All he knows is that all of a sudden he started receiving flashes, images of huge machines.

Another war. Another battle.

More pain and more sorrow.

And then he saw 5 young men.

Heero Yuy.

Duo Maxwell.

Trowa Barton.

Quatre Winner.

Wufei Chang.

In his mind he could follow their destinies. In his heart he felt their suffering.

He knew them better than he knew himself.

He observed as they climbed above their differences.

He watched as they grew up into young men.

He saw an end to pain and suffering brought forth by their efforts and their blood.

And peace reigned over the world again.

He started loosing himself again.

Days melted into nothing in this senseless existence.

With each passing moment which seemed like a small eternity, he felt himself loosing touch with the world again.

And then he had felt it.

A darkness rising in the hearts of men.

Darkness such as the world has seen only once, and which was defeated once before. Its power has started to grow again.

Time started to make sense again, and he had seen those who he came to know moving on with their lives.

He had seen Heero go after Relena Peacecraft. He had seen the two of them find happiness and salvation in one another and he was happy for them.

He watched as Trowa and Quatre finally admitted their feelings for one another. He observed as Sally Po finally managed to pull Wufei out of his shell. He had seen them get married.

And then he had seen Duo Maxwell.

As the darkness grew, casting a shadow over the world, he had seen Duo being pulled deeper and deeper into Shinigami's hold.

He felt for Duo. His heart ached for Duo's pain.

It was unbearable.

He felt as though his heart was breaking.

As the darkness kept growing, threatening to destroy the peace, threatening to involve Duo and his friends into yet another war, he had realized that the moment has come for him to get out of his prison; if for nothing else then to help Duo find happiness.

He knew he had to get out of here.

He only hoped he would soon find a way.

**cut**


	2. Down The Rabbit's Hole

**cut**

"Get a move on!" Duo snapped and looked back at the three Agents that were a part of his and Wufei's team.

Une dispatched the 5 of them on this mission saying it would be a perfect opportunity to see how the 3 rookies functioned in unusual conditions. This blizzard they were stuck in was everything but usual, that was for sure.

Wufei chuckled when he saw the scowl on Duo's face and the infamous Death Scythe Pilot glared at his friend. "Give them a break, Maxwell," Wufei drawled. "They are still green. It's normal for them to find it difficult to move through a blizzard this proportions."

Duo sneered and looked at the three Agents that finally managed to catch up with them. They were huffing and puffing up a storm and Duo scoffed. "Some Agents you are," he muttered and turned around to look forward.

"Can't we take a break?" Agent Kelly Clint asked and Duo looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"You want to freeze to death?" he drawled.

"We aren't like you, man!" Agent Joshua Bane cried out and Duo sneered at him. "We are _normal human beings_! We aren't meant to walk through a damn blizzard."

"You are Preventer Agents!" Duo snapped and the three flinched while Wufei snickered.

He knew _very_ well why Une didn't put Duo in charge of training the rookies.

Special Agent Shinigami was possibly the most respected and feared Agent in Preventers. He was ruthless towards his partners and expected only the best out of everyone. One could say he had become the Perfect Soldier. Only his closest friends knew that he was possibly worse than Heero had ever been.

Duo has dedicated his whole life to Preventers and expected nothing less from those who partnered with him. The only ones able to keep up with him were the other Gundam Pilots. They had no problem keeping up with his tempo, but others couldn't.

The fact that Une put Agents Kelly Clint, Joshua Bane and Bruce Thomas on this team meant either that she had high expectations for them or she didn't like them all that much.

"Yes, we are Preventer Agents," Thomas said. "But we are still human! We need a break!"

Wufei snickered and looked at Duo who growled.

"You can either keep up with Chang and me or you can go back. We're not stopping until we reach the Mark," Duo pressed out through his teeth.

"What the fuck, Maxwell?!" Bane snapped. "We aren't machines! This blizzard is unnatural!"

"You have to give him that," Wufei muttered so only Duo could hear him. The blizzard really _was_ unnatural. It was unlike anything either one of them has ever seen.

"If we stay here we'll freeze to death, Chang," Duo said and Wufei shook his head.

"You're right. But if they fall too far back we'll lose them. I don't think Une will be overly thrilled with that."

Duo scoffed and rolled his eyes. "She can have a fit for all I care. I can't believe she sent them with us." Wufei chuckled while the three rookies bristled at Duo's words.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Thomas shouted.

"Exactly what I said!" Duo snapped and Thomas flinched back. "We have less than 8 miles to the Mark. You've rested enough, now _move it_!"

"We didn't rest at all!" Clint almost _whined_ , and Wufei raised an eyebrow at her.

"If you had spent the past minutes on breathing and not complaining you would have rested sufficiently," he answered and Duo snorted, fixing his backpack and hunching forward a bit to create at least some resistance to the harsh wind blowing in their faces.

"Move it!" Duo snapped and started to push forward through the knee high snow, strong wind, and blizzard.

Wufei chuckled, fixed his backpack, and moved after Duo. He threw a small glance back and saw that the three followed after them with murdering glares. "I don't think they like you all that much, Maxwell!"

Duo scoffed and spared Wufei a glance. "They can choke on it," he muttered and Wufei laughed.

"A monster, _that's_ what _he_ is," Bane complained.

"This is the last time I agree to go on a mission with him," Thomas grumbled and Clint nodded her head.

"Less talking, more walking!" Duo shouted and the three tensed up, not believing Duo heard them.

"A monster, I tell you," Bane whispered.

"Not a monster, kid!" Wufei called out and smirked at them over his shoulder. "Just Shinigami!"

**cut**

Duo let go of a relieved sigh when they walked into a huge cave apparently made of ice. It seemed like a bluish light was coming from deep within it. It was hard to estimate just how deep the cave was. They've walked some 20 meters into the cave to get away from the storm. It has only worsened the closer they got to the Mark.

"Wufei?" Duo called out and said man straightened from where he was cleaning his backpack of the snow.

"What?"

"Try to contact HQ," Duo instructed and Wufei nodded. "Clint, Bane, Thomas, set up camp."

The three moved quickly, although it appeared not to be quickly enough in Duo's eyes. Wufei chuckled when he saw the way Duo glared at the three.

In a way Wufei could understand Duo's situation. Two weeks ago Duo returned from a pretty difficult infiltration mission. The only reason why he was on _this_ mission was because Heero had to be home, since Relena could give birth any time now, Trowa and Quatre were in the middle of negotiating merger with another company, and Zechs and Noin were stuck on Mars.

Suffice to say, Duo wasn't a happy camper.

The fact that the two of them would have been enough for this mission didn't help either.

Why Une thought that the other three needed to go with them was beyond Wufei, but he wasn't one to question the woman.

Wufei looked down at his equipment and frowned. He looked up when Duo cursed up a blue streak, and saw that Duo was trying to get a reading on his GPRS.

"Either the equipment is malfunctioning or something here is messing with it," Wufei said and Duo looked at him.

"That means we're cut off from HQ," Shinigami concluded bitterly and threw the machine he held into his backpack.

"Fantastic!" Kelly snapped and the two Special Agents looked at the three Agents who stopped in the middle of setting up camp. "Does that mean we're actually _stuck_ in this place?!"

"What? You're afraid you'll miss an appointment?" Duo asked and Kelly blushed. "This is a mission, Clint. Shit goes wrong on missions all the time. If you can't think on your feet then you chose a wrong job." Kelly looked at the ground.

"No need to be so hard on her, Maxwell," Joshua said and Duo snorted. "We're new to this."

"You're Preventer Agents," Duo reminded them in a threatening growl, violet eyes darkening for a moment. "You're supposed to be better than everyone else, so suck it up, grow some _fucking_ balls and _deal_ with it!" He looked at Wufei making it clear that he was done with the rookies.

"What's the plan?" Wufei asked.

"I say we try and see how deep this cave is. According to the mission data a huge energy source was found here. Une said it appeared a few months ago and has only grown stronger ever since. Whatever it is, it seems it isn't harmful. The gamma-radiation is nonexistent. Whatever it is, Une sent us over to investigate."

Wufei nodded and stood up. "Clint, Thomas, Bane. You three finish setting up camp while Maxwell and I investigate the cave."

The three nodded while Duo took two flashlights and two emergency bags from inside of his backpack. He threw one flashlight and one bag to Wufei who caught them and smirked at Duo.

"Ready?" Wufei asked and Duo snorted.

"Let's bust this joint," he muttered. "If we're not back in five hours, pack up and make your way back. Don't wait and don't hesitate, clear?" The three Agents raised eyebrows at him and Duo ground his teeth together, a nerve beside his right eye twitching in annoyance "Is there something you don't understand?!"

"No sir!" the three snapped and saluted Duo who snorted and nodded at Wufei.

"Let's go."

**cut**

"We've been walking for two hours now," Wufei said and looked at his wrist watch.

They have abandoned their winter jackets an hour ago. The deeper they walked into the cave the warmer it got. To their surprise the cave seemed to be made out of solid ice still. Even though the temperature was well above zero there was no water on the ground indicating that the ice was melting.

Duo hummed and looked at his wristwatch. "We'll go for another half an hour and then make our way back," he said and Wufei nodded.

Duo took off his turtleneck and tied it around his waist staying in a black, tight, t-shirt. His bangs started to stick to his sweaty forehead, and he seemed even more annoyed than he was when they had started their trip down the cave.

"Is there something wrong?" Wufei asked and Duo spared him a glance.

"Except the fact that we're on a mission with three useless slackers?"

Wufei laughed quietly and shook his head. "I'm not asking this as your partner, Duo," he said and the brown haired man looked at Wufei with a raised eyebrow. "I'm asking this as your friend. Is there something wrong?"

Duo sighed and looked in front of himself again. "I don't know, Fei," he muttered and Wufei smiled.

It's been long - _too_ long since he got the chance to talk to Duo. The braided man was always on a mission somewhere and most of the time his missions forbade any sort of communication.

"I guess I'm just pissed off about everything lately."

Wufei nodded. "Is there something particular?"

Duo shrugged. "I dun know, man," Duo grumbled and Wufei smiled again. Duo was regressing back to his street accent which meant he was slowly relaxing. "I constantly feel like somethin's gonna happen. I dun know. Maybe I'm just paranoid."

Wufei frowned. "A bad feeling?" he asked.

"More like expectation," Duo clarified. "I'm constantly jumpy an' I can't get a moment's rest. It's like - like someone's constantly watchin' me, an' I _know_ there's no one. I feel like I'll go nuts," Duo muttered and they took a turn. "Maybe I just need a damn break."

"Did you talk with Une about taking a vacation?"

Duo snorted and smirked at Wufei. "Ya really think she'd let her best field Agent take a vacation?" Duo asked and Wufei huffed.

"Right," he grunted. They took another turn and just as Wufei was about to say something he lost his footing.

"WUFEI!" Duo cried out and reached for Wufei to grab his hand.

Now, it would have been good had they had solid ground under their feet, but the moment Duo grabbed Wufei's hand he slipped and the two were sliding down.

With grunts they suddenly hit solid ground.

"This will hurt in tha mornin', Duo grumbled and Wufei made a sound of agreement while they picked themselves up and looked up the slope.

"You think we'll be able to climb up?" Wufei asked and Duo hummed.

"It'll take a li'l effort, but yeah, we can make it ta tha top," Duo said and Wufei nodded. Duo turned around to see where they were and gaped.

"Well, fuck me silly," he muttered and Wufei rolled his eyes.

"Maxwell, I don't think you should be…" he swallowed his words when he turned around and saw what had Duo cursing. Some 10 meters in front of them was an ice wall that was radiating blue light and incredible warmth. It seemed to be pulsating.

"Fuck me," Wufei breathed out and took a few steps closer when he noticed a blurry shape behind the ice. Duo walked over to it with careful steps. "Maxwell…"

"Hush," Duo cut him off and Wufei raised an eyebrow at his partner.

There was something _strange_ about the Death Scythe Pilot. Duo stopped a foot in front of the wall and slowly raised his right hand. There seemed to be a layer of perspiration on the ice wall, and Wufei slowly walked over.

Ever so slowly Duo placed his hand on it. "It's warm," he muttered. He passed with his hand over the wall, wiping away the perspiration and the two gaped at what was revealed. "Is that…"

"Impossible."

Behind the wall of ice was a man. He seemed to be floating in the air. His clothes and shoulder long hair floated around his muscled body. His oval face was creamy white and raven black lashes rested on pale cheeks. He looked as though he was sleeping.

Duo shivered when a sense of familiarity washed over him, and took another step closer placing his left hand on the ice wall.

"Am I really seeing this?" Wufei muttered.

"He's-he's beautiful," Duo whispered and Wufei looked at him with eyes full of shock. From where he was standing he could only see Duo's profile but he could clearly see the look of wonder and shock on Duo's face.

"Duo…"

A strong pulse shook the cave and the two almost lost their footing.

"What the fu…"

"We have to get out of here!" Wufei snapped. Duo first looked at Wufei and then back at the man trapped behind the wall.

In that moment another pulse, stronger than the last one shook the cave and then happened something that had the two Special Agents gaping. With another pulse the man's eyes snapped open. Two orbs of clear emerald looked at them and cupid bow lips tilted into a smile.

_"Thank you."_

Those words echoed through their minds and before either had the time to really think things through, they were blinded by blue light and soon everything faded into whiteness.

**cut**

"Fuck this," Duo grumbled as he slowly woke up. He realized his cheek was stinging from the cold. With instant awareness he jumped into a sitting position and looked around. "What the fuck?"

They were on a snowy plain. All their equipment was scattered around them. Kelly, Joshua and Bruce were a few meters away from him, and Wufei was lying on his back a meter to Duo's right.

"Wufei?" he called out and crawled over to his friend. He shook Wufei awake and the Chinese man groaned. He woke up instantly and sat up quickly when he realized something was very, _very_ wrong.

"What happened?"

"I have no fucking idea," Duo muttered and stood up. He looked at the three sleeping Agents and rolled his eyes.

Wufei chuckled despite the situation and stood up. "I do believe they could sleep through a nuclear explosion," he drawled and Duo snorted.

"ON YOUR FEET, SOLDIERS!" he snapped and the three jumped up, disoriented and still half asleep.

"What the fuck?" Bruce grumbled as he looked around.

"Our thoughts exactly," Duo said. "What the fuck happened?"

There was nothing but whiteness around them.

"Beats me," Wufei muttered and walked over to his backpack. He took out his GPRS and snorted. "Dead," he said and threw it on the ground. He looked at his wristwatch and raised an eyebrow. "Maxwell, whatever happened we're royally fucked."

Duo raised an eyebrow and looked at his own wristwatch. Or what was left of it. The glass was cracked. It wasn't even blinking. "I don't even want to look at the rest of our equipment," he grumbled and Wufei snorted. He was about to say something when they heard the sound of a chopper coming in their direction. All 5 of them looked up and almost immediately spotted a black dot on the horizon that was getting increasingly bigger.

"I hope as hell that's our ride," Duo drawled.

5 minutes later a chopper landed in front of them and Heero jumped out.

"I'd say thank God, but I do believe something else was at work!" Wufei shouted over the sound of the chopper.

"Our radars detected a huge explosion in the area! Une immediately dispatched three tracking teams!" Heero explained as they gathered their equipment and made their way to the chopper. "Quatre and Trowa are in their choppers!" They got in and buckled up. "What happened?!"

Duo and Wufei exchanged a glance as well as the other three before Duo looked at Heero and shrugged. "We'll tell you when we figure it out!"

**cut**

**Ah, I remember this one. Good story. Took me a while to write it, but in the end I quite like the outcome.**


	3. The White Rabbit

**cut**

Everything came down to breathing and punching. The punching bag groaned under the assault of his fists and the hook it was hanging on creaked and whined. The training room was empty sans him.

His clothes were sticking to his sweaty skin, his neck itched under the heavy braid, the muscles in his arms ached, but he just kept going.

He needed the relief this heavy exercise brought to him.

It's been a month.

It's been a god damn month since that screwed up mission in Old Scotland.

The more he thought about it fewer details he remembered. Une was confused as much as Sally. Wufei was in the same predicament. Those three Rookies knew even less. They have said that they had set up camp and waited for Wufei and Duo to come back. All they remembered was a blue light and then nothing.

'Bunch of useless dipshits!' Duo thought and hit the punching bag with as much strength as he could gather. It fell off of the hook and hit the ground.

Duo stood beside the fallen bag, taking deep breaths and trying to calm down.

"You know?" Duo tensed up at first when someone spoke from behind him. "I don't think that punching bag deserved such treatment."

Duo relaxed and sighed. "Quatre…" He turned around to smile a crocked smile at his war comrade and good friend. "I haven't seen you in a while," he drawled as he walked over to a bench and took a towel from his duffle-bag. Quatre snorted and pushed away from the pillar he had been leaning on.

"6 months, Duo," Quatre chastised as he walked over to Duo and pulled him into a hug. "You smell," he wrinkled his nose and Duo laughed as he moved back and wiped his face with the towel.

"I don't know how long I've been here," he said.

"Long enough for Wufei to call me and tell me he's worried about you," Quatre said and Duo snorted. He took a seat on the bench and dried the back of his neck under the heavy braid.

"So he sent you to check up on me?" Duo asked before he took his water bottle and took a long swing out of it.

Quatre sighed and took a seat beside him. "He told me that you haven't been the same ever since the last mission you guys took together," Quatre said and Duo snorted.

"Not one of us has been the same after _that_ , Quat," Duo muttered and Quatre nodded.

"Want to talk about it?" Quatre asked and Duo chuckled.

"I don't know, man. What is there to say?" Duo slouched on the bench making Quatre smirk a little.

It has been a long - _too_ long of a time since he and Duo sat down to talk. The braided American was constantly on missions, constantly away, and to be perfectly honest Quatre was missing his old friend. Sure, he had Trowa, Heero, Relena and Sally almost constantly around, but he and Duo were always close.

He missed his talks with the brown-haired joker.

He missed the _joker._

Out of all of them, Duo has changed the most. He had become the Soldier he always refused to be during the wars. Sometimes Quatre wondered if it was their fault.

After the second war each one of them turned to building a life of their own. Heero stuck to Relena to make sure she and the peace they have created would be safe. With time, as Relena grew up and realized not everything was about her, she and Heero became close. 6 years later Heero proposed and now they had a baby on the way.

Wufei and Sally were happy together. After Wufei joined the Preventers, he and Sally got closer with each mission they took. They've gotten married a year ago. He and Trowa parted ways a little after the second war, but soon enough realized that they felt empty without each other.

Duo?

Duo went back to L2 and Hilde, but after only 6 months he came back to Earth and joined the Preventers as a full time employee. During the oncoming 8 years Duo had built a reputation for himself.

He had grown from the Joker to the Perfect Soldier.

He was respected and feared by everyone, possibly even Une. She knew he was her best field Agent.

Special Agent Shinigami has sort of become a legend in the Preventers.

Everyone knew about Duo Maxwell.

The Rookies feared to be placed in his team, not because he didn't care about his teammates, but because his tempo was ruthless. He dished out the best and expected nothing less from those he worked with.

Heero, Trowa and Quatre worked for Preventers as outside partners. They were called in when other Agents couldn't handle something. On more than one occasion they worked with Duo and realized that while Heero has mellowed out greatly Duo seemed to have taken Heero's place.

Whether it was consciously or unconsciously Duo has become what he never wanted to be. He has become a man obsessed with the mission. He rarely went out, rarely spoke with anyone. While his performance in Preventers was top scored, his personal life was nonexistent.

And that worried Quatre.

"Well," Quatre clapped Duo's shoulder, "how about you take a shower, get changed, and we go grab a drink."

Duo frowned. "I don't know, man," he murmured. "I work the morning shift and I have a few reports to look through. I need to get some sleep otherwise I'll really start biting heads off."

Quatre laughed and Duo smirked. "Come on. It's only 10 PM. I promise to have you in bed by midnight," Quatre teased and Duo smirked.

"Gee, Q-bean. What would Trowa say if he heard you speak like that?" Quatre smirked right back at Duo and his aquamarine eyes glimmered mischievously.

"I don't know. You want to ask him?"

Duo laughed at that and Quatre smiled. "You've changed, Quat," Duo sighed. "Back during the wars you'd blush and stutter up a storm."

Quatre hummed and shrugged his shoulders. "I think it was about time I got used to your jibes, ne?" he asked and Duo laughed quietly. "How about that drink?"

Duo sighed and shrugged. "Why the hell not. I hadn't had a drink in months," he said and stood up. "I'll hurry up."

While he left to take a shower, Quatre pulled a cell phone out of his pocket. He dialed a number and waited for the one he called to answer.

 _*Quatre?*_ Trowa's voice came over the line and Quatre smiled.

"Ninmu kanryou," he whispered happily and Trowa chuckled.

 _*So you managed to talk him into having a drink with you,*_ Trowa concluded and Quatre laughed lightly.

"Yes. He agreed with little persuasion."

_*Good. Have fun. When do you think you could be home?*_

"Around midnight. Don't wait for me, love. I know you have a meeting with the Board of Directors early in the morning."

_*Very well. Good night.*_

"Good night. Sleep well," Quatre said and the conversation ended.

Not long after that Duo came back into the room dressed in the standard Preventers uniform. "Ready to go?" he asked and ran his fingers through his damp bangs.

Quatre smiled and stood up. "Sure."

Duo nodded and put his training clothes into his bag. "I'll just dump this in my locker and we can go. Do you have a place in mind?" Duo asked as they walked down the hall to the locker rooms.

"There's a bar a block away from here. We could go there."

Duo nodded. He walked over to his locker and put his duffle-bag inside. "Let's go then. That drink sounds better and better the more I think about it."

Quatre laughed as Duo walked over to him and they made their way out. "Sure. Let's go."

**cut**

Duo sighed and slouched in his seat and Quatre's lips tilted up into a small smile as he sipped on his drink.

"Damn. I needed this," Duo groaned and took a long swing of his beer.

"I can see that, Duo," Quatre commented with an amused grin and Duo raised an eyebrow at him.

"You plan to tell me finally what this is all about?" Duo asked and Quatre raised an eyebrow at him. Duo rolled his eyes and smirked at Quatre. "Come on, Q-bean. I ain't stupid, you know?"

Quatre sighed and shook his head. "No, Duo. You aren't stupid," he murmured. "But you _have_ become introverted and that worries me," Quatre stated knowing there was no sense in beating around the bush.

Even when Duo was playing the Joker he was always good at reading people. _T_ _oo_ good if some were asked.

"I just - I miss my best friend, Duo. It's been ages since you called, and even longer since we just hung out together. Just because Heero, Wufei, Trowa and I have gotten married, doesn't mean we've forgotten about you."

Duo sighed and his lips tilted into a small smile. "I kno' tha', li'l bit," he said and Quatre all but melted at the old endearment. He also noticed that Duo slipped back into that infamous street accent of his and Quatre's smile widened.

It meant that Duo was relaxing and becoming more himself than the Perfect Soldier he has become over the years.

"Ta be perfectly honest, I miss ya guys too. I just…" Duo hesitated and shrugged. "I dun kno'. Ever since I joined tha Pr'venters an' climbed tha ranks I've gotten so drowned in missions I've kinda f'rgotten 'but everythin' else. An' this last mission…" Quatre hummed and took a sip. "I dun kno', li'l bit. Everythin's gotten so screwed up. I can't make tails 'r heads of it."

Quatre nodded in understanding and Duo gifted him with a small smile. "I can understand that. Wufei told us everything about that mission already. Not even Heero managed to figure out what happened."

Duo snorted and rolled his eyes. "He ain't supposed ta worry 'bout tha'. Lena could give birth any day now."

Quatre laughed at that. "Don't we know it?! Heero's been jumpier than he has ever been! Every time Relena calls he's already grabbing another phone and calling the ambulance."

Duo laughed out loud making a few heads turn. Even with his braid falling out of place, his more than just creased uniform and slouching in his seat, Duo was still a sight to behold. It made Quatre, and everyone else, wonder how he was still single.

It was widely known that if Duo was more approachable in Preventers he would have many female Agents and quite a few male ones vying for his attention on a daily basis.

'I think I answered my own question right there,' Quatre thought sarcastically while Duo stopped laughing.

"I still can't believe it! Heero Yuy's gonna be a daddy! They have ta be makin' snowmen in Hell by now!" Duo took another long swing of his drink while Quatre laughed.

"It's been a surprise for all of us. He told me to tell you that he expects you to be there."

"'Course I'll be there, Quat! Someone's gotta teach tha kid how ta make 'is 'r 'er's momma's and daddy's hair gray after all!" Duo drawled making Quatre laugh again.

"I think they're going to forbid you from spending time alone with their child until they are at least 16."

Duo winked at Quatre. "They'll be too busy chasin' away possible suitors. With Lena's looks and Ro's brains whether it's a boy 'r a girl, they're gonna be sex-bombs."

Quatre almost chocked on his drink from bursting into laughter. "Don't say that in front of Heero. He's panicking enough as it is."

Duo chuckled and shook his head. "I thought I'd never see tha day Heero Yuy would be panickin' 'bout anything, let alone a kid; _his own_ kid no less."

Quatre wiped his chin and shrugged. "Miracles happen every day," he said and Duo shrugged.

"I guess they do." Duo finished his drink his drink with a sigh. "Gee, I missed this. I hadn't had a laugh like this in ages," he admitted and Quatre smiled.

"I missed this too, Duo." Said man smiled. "Say, Trowa and I called the others over for lunch on Sunday. Do you think you could join us?"

Duo hummed and looked at the ceiling for a second. "I dun 'ave any other plans." He shrugged. "Sure, why not."

Quatre grinned at him. "Great! We're going to gather at our place around noon."

Duo nodded. "Should I bring anythin'?"

"No need. Trowa and I already bought everything we'll need."

Duo smiled. "Great," he said and looked at his watch wincing when he saw it was already 23:30. "Dang. I gotta get myself 'ome," he muttered and Quatre raised an eyebrow when he saw how late it already was.

"Sure." They got up and each left enough on the table to cover their drinks. "I'm glad you agreed to have a drink with me, Duo," Quatre said as they made their way out and towards their cars.

"Me too, li'l bit," Duo said, threw his left arm around Quatre's shoulders and pulled him into a loose hug. "Thanks fer callin' me out. I didn't even realize how much I've pulled away from everythin'."

Quatre smiled and wrapped his right arm around Duo's waist in a loose, brotherly hug. "That's what friends are for, Duo. To remind you how great of a jerk you've become." Duo laughed loudly making Quatre smile. 'I've forgotten how nice of a laugh he has.'

"Dang! I've completely forgotten when I've laughed this much!" Duo cried out as they reached their cars.

"Don't forget, alright? Sunday, our place, around noon."

Duo chuckled and hugged Quatre tightly before he moved over to his car. "I won't. See ya on Sunday!" he got into his car and drove away.

Quatre sighed with a small smile. 'Well. Ninmu kanryou!" he thought happily as he got into his car. 'I can't wait for Sunday!'

**cut**

"Agent Maxwell, sir?"

Duo raised his gaze from his laptop at the almost too quiet, stuttering call. He looked at the young woman that was peeking around the doorframe. He could almost _smell_ her discomfort as he raised an eyebrow at her.

Agent Jessica Campbell - if he remembered correctly - has been working for the Preventers for 2 years already. How she hadn't lost that timid nature of hers in those two years he would never know.

"Yes?"

She jumped in her place. "Commander Une wants to speak with you!" she squeaked and ran off.

Duo's eyebrows met the line of his hair and he snorted. "She's gonna get herself killed one day," he grunted and got up. He pulled on his jacket and made his way towards Une's office, glaring at a group of Agents that stopped talking and looked at him with wide eyes as he passed beside them. Immediately they turned their backs on him and scurried to their offices. Duo snorted and knocked on the door of Une's office.

"Come in!" she called and Duo entered.

"Morning Commander."

She nodded at him and gifted him with a small smile. "Morning, Agent. I believe everything's well."

Duo nodded as he took a seat in front of her. "I'm almost done with the reports. What did you need me for?"

Une sighed and shook her head making Duo's eyebrows twitch up a bit. "Straight to the point, right?" Duo smirked and Une shook her head. "Alright. I wanted to tell you that I've found a new permanent partner for you."

Duo raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?" he asked while Une took a folder out of the top drawer of her desk and offered it to him. Duo opened it and frowned when a shiver ran down his spine once he looked at the picture on the first page.

"Special Agent Beast a.k.a. Harrison Evans-Potter," she said. "He's transferring from the English branch to HQ. As you can see he has outstanding recommendations."

Duo read through the file quickly. "You know I care little for recommendations. I like to see for myself how good someone is," he said and Une smirked.

"I trust you'll work well together." There was a warning in the tone of her voice and Duo looked at her dully.

"Well see about that," he muttered and she sighed in slight exasperation. It has become increasingly difficult to find a suitable partner for Duo, and if this guy didn't satisfy Agent Shinigami's standards, Une honestly would know what else to do. "When's he going to be here?"

"Oh, he's already here. I asked Agent Thomas to show him around while I talk with you."

Duo raised an eyebrow. In that moment three sharp, strong knocks came from behind Duo.

"Come in!" Une called out and the door opened while Duo and Une stood up. Duo had to try very, _very_ hard not to openly gape. The man that entered must have been created according to old descriptions of gods.

He stood at a respectable 5'11, with the strong, muscled build of a swimmer. He had short black hair and stunning emerald eyes that were accented by sharp cheekbones. His lips were tilted in a smirk and he moved like a predator. 'Hence the codename, I guess,' Duo thought, stomping on every single thought connected to his new partner's looks.

"Agent Beast, this is Agent Shinigami. I hope you two will work well together," Une said and Harrison offered his hand to Duo who gave himself a mental slap and accepted Harrison's hand.

"Mr. Maxwell," Harrison's voice was a low growl which sent shivers down Duo's spine.

"Evans-Potter," he returned equally and Harrison hummed, those almost _glowing_ emerald eyes filling with something Duo couldn't name.

"Please, call me Harry."

Duo nodded. "Then you can call me Duo," he answered and Harry smiled before he looked at Une and she quickly put on her expressionless mask to hide the smirk she's been carrying since Harry entered her office.

"Thomas showed me around. Am I to assume Duo and I will be sharing an office?"

"If Duo doesn't mind?" Une inquired but her eyes flashed with a warning making Duo almost roll his eyes.

"I don't mind," Duo said. "The office is big enough for the both off us." He looked at Harry. "You don't seem like a slacker, but I think I'll have to see first to make sure."

Harry's lips tilted into a small, somewhat mischievous smile, and Duo almost cursed when he felt the need to smile right back. 'I actually _like_ him after only 2 minutes?!'

"I am not a slacker, Duo. Although I will let you be the judge of that," Harry said and Duo raised an eyebrow at him.

"Sure." Duo looked at Une. "Are we free to go?"

"Agent Harrison, you're starting on Monday 7 AM sharp. I'll see you then. Maxwell, you have the weekend off."

Duo raised an eyebrow at her. "Are you kidding?"

Une raised an eyebrow at him while Harry laughed quietly. "Do I look like I'm kidding?"

Duo raised his hands in surrender. "Whatever you say, Commander," he said. "Come on, Harry. I'll show you the office."

Harry nodded and saluted Une, before they left her office and made their way down the hall.

"How long have you been in the force?" Duo asked. Many were shooting them glances full of suspicion and confusion as they walked down the hall. Some even had starry looks in their eyes and Duo had to admit that they weren't all that wrong to have them either. Harry _was_ a handsome man after all.

"Around 3 years, more or less."

Duo nodded. "You have great recommendations," he commented and Harry huffed carelessly.

"Sure," he drawled as they entered their office.

"This is it," Duo said and showed Harry around. "I'll clean up that desk for you and you can move in on Monday."

Harry nodded as he looked around. The office was spars sans several shelves and two desks that were facing one another. Duo's was surprisingly tidy, while the other desk was covered in neatly arranged folders.

"Thank you. I should be going now. I have a few more boxes to unpack," Harry said and Duo nodded. He raised an eyebrow when Harry offered his hand to him, but accepted it never the less. "I truly hope we'll work well together. I have heard many great things about you, Duo. I look forward to getting to know you."

Duo almost blushed at that.

 _Almost_ mind you. That doesn't mean he actually _did._

"I look forward to that as well."

Harry's lips tiled up into a small, mysterious smile. "I shall see you on Monday then," he said and Duo nodded, and Harry turned to leave.

The moment Harry took a turn into the hallway Duo jumped in his place and, without thinking about what he was doing, rushed out. "Potter!" he called and the man stopped and turned to look at Duo. "Me an' a few others are having lunch together this Sunday. Since we're going to work together and they might jump in on occasion, you could join us." The moment he said that Duo wanted to slam his head against the closest brick wall. 'What am I doing?!' he snapped at himself mentally. All his thoughts disappeared when Harry smirked and nodded his head.

"I'd be happy to join you," he said.

'Well, no going back now.' Duo thought. "Pick you up at 11?" he asked and Harry nodded.

"37 Ebony Road." Duo nodded. "See you then," Harry said, saluted Duo lightly, and walked down the hall.

Duo let go of a breath he was unconsciously holding and looked around. His eyes flashed and he glared at the Agents that were openly gaping at him standing in the doorways leading to their offices. "What are you gaping at?!" he snapped, "Back to work!" Everyone scurried away, terrified of him.

Duo snorted and entered his office, closing the door before he took a seat at his table. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

'What have I gotten myself into?'

A frown marred his face as he thought about Harrison Evans-Potter.

There was something _painfully_ familiar about him.

His eyes.

Heavens, his eyes.

But the more Duo thought about it, the more he couldn't make a connection. He cursed and rubbed his face with his hands.

"Screw it. I'll figure it out in time," he muttered and went back to work.

But little did he know that his thoughtless action will bring upon a great change in his life.

A great, _great_ change.

**cut**


	4. The Tea Party

**cut**

Duo took a deep breath and got out of the car. He was in the better part of the town in front of an old Victorian house with a small front yard. He fixed the sleeves of his black button up shirt and walked into the front yard. Once he climbed the three steps that led onto the porch and stopped in front of the front door, he cleared his throat and rung the bell.

"Coming!"

Duo heard Harry shout and shifted his weight before he slammed his head into a proverbial wall. He was acting as though he was going on a damn date! 'Get yourself together, Maxwell!' he snapped at himself. 'You're aware that this was a bad idea, but damn it, suck it up and act like a damn man!'

The moment his mental rant was done the door opened and Duo had to go over it all over again.

Harry looked great. His hair was ruffled and he was dressed in washed out jeans that hung low on his hips, accenting long, lean, muscled legs, and a tight black t-shirt which lined out every single hard plain of Harry's torso.

"Morning, Duo," Harry said and offered his hand to Duo who accepted it and smiled.

"Morning. You ready?" he asked and Harry smiled at him. Duo raised an eyebrow when he saw Harry's eyes glimmer, but pushed it aside.

"I just need to do one more thing. Why don't you come inside? It will only take a minute," Harry offered and Duo nodded.

"Sure," he said and entered, and Harry showed Duo into a living room.

"Wait here. I won't take long," Harry said and left.

Duo took a deep breath and looked around. The furniture was cream colored with a lot of soft, small pillows on the couch and two facing armchairs. The tea table was made out of some dark wood and one wall was made entirely out of glass, letting the sunlight in.

There was a marble fireplace in front of the furniture set and a piano was set against another wall. Several tall plants were in the corners of the room and on one wall hung a big picture Duo recognized from somewhere, but he couldn't quite place it. Other than that he could find no other picture or anything more personal, which made Duo frown a little, but he guessed that was because Harry moved in recently.

"I'm ready!" Harry called out when he came back into the living room, making Duo turn on his heel quickly. Harry pulled on a jean jacket and nodded his head towards the door. "Are we going with your car, or should I follow you on my bike?"

"Maybe it's better if you followed me," Duo said, fighting now the _serious_ urge to openly drool at the Adonis-like man in front of him.

There _had_ to be a law somewhere against being too good-looking, there just _had_ to be.

"I'm spending the night there," Duo managed to find his tongue, and hoped to god and every _possible_ deity out there that Harry hadn't noticed Duo's momentary lapse.

"Let's go then," Harry said and Duo nodded, managing to replace the embarrassing attraction to Harry for the interest in just what kind of bike Harry owned.

Once they were out and Harry locked the door and turned on the alarm system, they walked over to the garage and Harry raised the door.

Duo whistled when he saw the black, sleek _Kawasaki z1000_. "Nice machine," Duo commented and Harry hummed, obviously pleased with Duo's reaction. He pushed the bike out and closed the door once Duo stepped out.

"Thanks. It took me a while to find it. It's an old model; a _really_ old model," Harry said and Duo nodded.

"I know," he murmured. "Now, we have a half hour ride to Quatre's," Harry nodded and pulled on his helmet.

"I'll follow you."

Duo nodded and left. Once he was in his car Duo took a deep breath. "That guy's something new," he muttered and gunned the engine. "Something very, _very_ new."

**cut**

"Duo! I'm so glad you could make it!" Quatre called out as he ran over to Duo when he and Harry walked into the backyard of Quatre and Trowa's house.

"I'm glad I'm here," Duo said and accepted a hug from Quatre. "Quatre, this is Harrison Evans-Potter; my new partner," he introduced Harry to Quatre and raised an eyebrow when Quatre smirked at him before he shook hands with Harry.

"I'm Quatre Winner-Barton. It's a pleasure."

"The pleasure is mine, Mr…."

"Please, call me Quatre."

Harry nodded. "Harry."

Quatre grinned. "Come, you have to meet the others," Quatre said and led them over to the others who were waiting for them, practically bursting with curiosity about the man Duo brought with him.

Relena and Heero were sitting at the garden table and the woman was smiling brightly with her hands on her big stomach while Heero was looking at her with love filled eyes. Sally was with them and they stopped talking when Duo and Harry walked over. Trowa and Wufei moved away from the barbeque to greet the newcomers.

"Hello!" Duo greeted with a grin while Harry just waved.

"Everyone this is Duo's new partner, Harrison Evans-Potter," Quatre said and Harry nodded at them.

"Good day."

"Wufei Chang," he said and offered his hand to Harry. "I'll probably be the one who will work most with you and Duo." Harry nodded at him while he shook hands with him.

"Trowa Barton," he and shook hands with Harry. "Next to Quatre, I'll probably become the one you'll call most when Duo starts grating on your nerves." Harry chuckled at that and Trowa's lips tilted into a small smile. Quatre snickered while Duo rolled his eyes. Harry walked over to the table and the three stood up, or in Relena's case _tried_ to stand up.

"Don't!" Harry stopped the pregnant woman, "It's fine." He offered his hand to her. "It's a pleasure, ma'am."

Relena laughed lightly at that and winked at Heero when Harry bowed down and kissed her knuckles. "I am Relena Yuy. I'm the one who will probably be begging you to keep Duo on a leash once this one's out," she said and Harry chuckled while Duo shouted indignantly.

Heero chuckled and shook hands with Harry. "Heero Yuy. The one who will be _helping_ you keep Duo on a leash, and the one you can feel free to come to if you and Duo get stuck on a mission."

Harry nodded. "I'll keep that in mind. Thank you," he said and Heero nodded.

"And I'm Sally Chang." Sally said and giggled when Harry kissed her knuckles. "I'm the one you'll come to despise pretty soon, just like everyone in Preventers."

"You are the head of the Medical team," Harry concluded and Sally grinned. "Then we'll see each other a lot," he said and Sally raised an eyebrow at him.

"You prone to getting into trouble?" she asked and Harry laughed.

"Some would say I go looking for it, but I beg to differ," he chuckled. "Trouble does well enough of a job finding me."

"Then you'll fit right in," Wufei said and clapped Harry's shoulder in a friendly manner. "Just to warn you…"

"You're all Gundam Pilots. I know," Harry interrupted him. "I promise I'll do my best in working with Duo." Everyone, even Relena and Sally, raised eyebrows at him.

"How did you know Wufei would say that?" Quatre asked and Harry shrugged.

"When my former commanding officer told me I would be transferred to HQ and work with Agent Shinigami, I did some research," Harry explained. "It wasn't _difficult_ to find his file and read it. When I saw the partners Duo partnered with for missions I simply connected the dots." He shrugged almost carelessly while his company stared at him, impressed by his implied skill. "Besides, there is only _one_ Relena Yuy nee Peacecraft in the world." He winked at Relena who giggled and nodded.

"You are an interesting man, Harrison," she complimented.

"Please, call me Harry," he asked and Relena smiled at him.

"Of course. I have no doubt that soon enough you'll be calling me Lena," she said. "Duo has a way of rubbing off on people."

"I have no doubt about that," Harry drawled and looked at Duo over his shoulder, making the braided man raise an eyebrow at him. "Anyway!" he clapped his hands and looked around, "Can I help somehow? I'm not used to sitting still." Everyone laughed while Wufei placed his left hand on Harry's right shoulder.

"Then you and Duo will work just well together," he commented and lightly nudged Harry closer to the table.

"Why don't you just sit here; the others have everything under control," Relena said and patted the seat on her right, "and we'd really like to get to know you better."

"Why do I have the feeling that this leads to a thorough interrogation?" Harry asked, but took a seat never the less. Relena laughed at that while Heero and Sally took seats again with Wufei joining them while Trowa went back to the barbeque and Quatre dragged Duo into the house for drinks.

"We need to get to know you _somehow_." Sally said and Harry chuckled.

"Am I to assume you have kept back from hacking into my files?" he drawled. Relena giggled and glanced at Heero who grumbled while Sally laughed.

"Quatre forbade us from doing so until we officially met you," Heero said and Harry chuckled.

"Really now. And that stopped you?"

"Quatre can be quite… _convincing,_ " Wufei stressed out and Harry raised an eyebrow with a small smirk on his lips.

" _Really_ now," he drawled dryly.

"You'll see soon enough," Sally assured him. "You're Duo's partner now. I have no doubt that if you'll stick around you'll get to know all of us better. Especially now that we managed to pull Duo away from Preventers."

Harry hummed and nodded. "I have heard many things about Duo," he said. "I have no doubt that some were exaggerated, but I also don't believe they were completely untrue. He is a _dedicated_ man."

"You don't have to tell _us_ that," Wufei grumbled. "If he and I hadn't gone on that mission a month ago together I doubt I would have seen him."

"It's been almost a year since he joined us for any sort of gathering," Heero said and Harry frowned a little.

"You could say that Duo's a bit _too_ dedicated to Preventers," Relena added and Harry hummed.

"That's not exactly healthy," he muttered and everyone else at the table exchanged glances. "I mean, I'm not one for going out a lot, but I _did_ try to have some kind of life _outside_ of Preventers."

"How long have you worked for Preventers, Harry?" Relena asked and Harry hummed.

"Three years."

"And before that?" Heero asked and Harry sighed.

"Not much actually," Harry said and relaxed in his seat. He rested his hands on the armrests and crossed his long, lean legs under the table. Heero's eyes flashed a little and an approving glimmer appeared in his eyes when he saw a gun cleverly hidden from untrained eyes.

"Tell us something about yourself," Relena said and shifted in her seat as much as she could.

"There's not much to say, really," Harry tilted his head back a bit. "I don't really know where to start."

"You probably know everything you need to know for now about us," Heero said. "Everything else you'll find out with time."

Harry chuckled at that and nodded his head. "I suppose that's true."

"Where are you from?" Sally asked.

"No where in particular, to be perfectly honest," Harry shrugged. "I woke up in a hospital right after the Eve wars with no memories of my past." His company tensed up, and Trowa turned around to look at him. "All I could remember was my name. They tried to find out at least something with DNA testing, but since no one applied a missing person report and the DNA testing brought forward no results I was designated as a John Doe. The head nurse of the hospital called in Commander Hawkeye. They made me a new identity to have me in the system, and Hawkeye helped me get some education. Once I finished it I joined the Preventers." Harry finished his story and his lips tilted into a small smile. "I've been working for them ever since."

"I'm sorry," Relena whispered and placed her right hand on Harry's left. Harry patted her hand with his right and chuckled.

"No need to be," he assured her. "Somehow I think that having no memories is better than remembering whatever delivered me into that hospital, don't you think?" he winked at her making her smile and shake her head.

"Why Preventers?" Wufei asked and Harry shrugged while Relena leaned on Heero who wrapped his right arm around her shoulders as she leaned on his shoulder.

"I don't know. I felt like I would be good at that," Harry said. "Something was pulling me there and Commander Hawkeye was all too happy to let me in. I climbed the ranks within a year. Commander Hawkeye has become a good friend to me; almost like a father. He taught me everything he knew and then let me learn everything else on my own."

"John Hawkeye is a great man," Sally said. "Next to Commander Une he is the best Agent the Preventers have." Everyone nodded at that.

"I don't know where I would be if it weren't for him," Harry spoke up. "On one occasion, he told me that he lost a son during the wars. In a way I think he helped me because I reminded him of Blaine."

"Anyway!" Sally clapped her hands, "Any hobbies?" everyone smiled at the obvious change of subject.

"I'm pretty good at playing the piano and a guitar, I love reading, and I'm a big fan of football," Harry grinned brightly.

"Really now." Heero and Wufei leaned forward making their wives roll their eyes at them.

"Oh God, here we go," Sally muttered and Harry laughed at that. This was turning out to be not a bad idea after all.

**cut**

"Quat, you're gonna tear my arm off," Duo grumbled as Quatre pulled him into the house.

"Spill!" Quatre rounded on Duo once they were in the kitchen that overlooked the back yard.

"What is there to spill?" Duo asked, acting as though he didn't know what Quatre was talking about.

Quatre rolled his eyes and sighed. "Tell me about Harry!" he pushed and it was Duo's turn to roll his eyes.

"I met the man for half an hour on Friday and I picked him up today. All I can tell you is that he lives in a nice Victorian house and that he has a mean bike," he said and Quatre rolled his eyes again.

"Tell me what you _think_ about him."

Duo sighed and leaned back against a cabinet, looking out the window. Harry laughed at something the others told him and Duo felt a small smile pull on his lips. "What is there to tell? I've read his file. He seems like a good Agent, but I'll be able to confirm that once we go on our first mission. I called Commander Hawkeye on Friday and he said that he was sorry he lost his best Agent. He seems like a good enough man," he said and looked at Quatre who was looking at him with a raised eyebrow and arms crossed over his chest.

"And what about him being a tall-dark-mysterious-hunk-of-a-man, with his middle name being sex-on-legs, eyes to die for and a give-'em-hell attitude I _know_ you adore?"

Duo spluttered and looked at Quatre with wide eyes. "Quatre!" said man rolled his eyes.

"Oh, please Duo. Did you really think I wouldn't notice he is _thee_ kind of man you fall for on a regular basis?"

"Do I have to remind you that I haven't dated anyone in years?" Duo asked dryly and Quatre snorted.

"Don't remind me of that. I _still_ think you're an idiot for pulling so far into yourself that you've found the entrance to _Narnia_."

"Narnia?" Duo asked dully and Quatre rolled his eyes.

"Never mind," he muttered. "What I'm trying to say is - do you like him?" he asked and Duo snorted.

"I've just _met_ the man."

"So what?!" Quatre snapped. "I liked Trowa from the first time I met him!"

"And you started dating 5 years later," Duo stated dully.

"We were children."

"We were never children, Q-bean," Duo corrected him. "The wars took care of that."

"You know what I mean," Quatre waved Duo off. "What I want to say is that you can tell if you like someone pretty soon. So?" he raised an eyebrow at Duo, " _Do_ you _like_ him?"

Duo sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. "He _is_ hot," Duo finally admitted. "And _yes_ he is the kind of man I'd usually fall for," Quatre grinned triumphantly, but Duo only glared at him, "but he is _my_ _partner_. We will _work_ together for God knows how long. As much as we know, he'll die on the next mission."

"Duo…"

"Don't ' _Duo'_ me, Quatre. You know just as much as I know that not everyone can keep up with me on missions."

"Duo, not _one_ of your partners _died_ while they were with _you_ on a mission," Quatre spoke, and Duo could see frustration in his eyes.

"I know," Duo said, "but that means nothing. Harry seems like a nice guy. Hell, he seems like a nice _straight_ guy."

"He doesn't seem bothered with me and Trowa," Quatre spoke uncaringly and Duo groaned.

"Damn it, Quatre, listen to me!" Duo snapped. "Harry an' me will be _just_ partners, alrigh'! Besides, with missions I dun have any damn time to think about romance!"

Quatre sighed and stepped back. "Alright," he said. "Alright. I'll step down," Duo let go of a breath he was unconsciously holding, "but don't come crying to me in the end, Duo," he warned and Duo frowned in confusion. Quatre smiled sadly and hugged Duo. The braided man tensed up for a second before he returned the hug. "I just - I don't like seeing you like this, Duo. You deserve better; so much better."

Duo sighed. "I dun know, Quat," Duo whispered and buried his face in Quatre's neck. "Sometimes I think that this is _exactly_ what I deserve."

"You deserve better," Quatre whispered and squeezed Duo tightly, "much better."

**cut**

"Finally! We thought you've gotten lost!" Sally cheered when Quatre and Duo came out of the house. Duo carried a tray with glasses while Quatre carried different drinks.

"I was showing Duo the new program I'm developing," Quatre said with a grin.

Duo started passing glasses around while Quatre started to place drinks on the table, only to have a bottle of wine tilt to the side.

"Quatre, watch it!" Sally cried out when the bottle fell and everyone held their breath.

"Good catch." Heero commented, quite impressed.

Harry had the bottle in his right hand, gripping the table with his left with his chair tilted to the side on two legs, and he was stretched, practically diagonally with the ground.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief and pulled himself back up.

" _Very_ good catch," Wufei spoke wide eyed, while Quatre smiled gratefully at Harry who smiled at him and placed the bottle in the middle of the table.

"It would be a shame if the bottle broke," Harry said with a small smile. "That's some very good wine." He turned the bottle a little only to whistle lowly. "And a _very_ good year."

Quatre chuckled. "I suppose you know something about wine," he said as he took a seat and Trowa started to bring the meat on the table.

"I know enough," Harry said and shifted in his place a bit.

"That was a good catch," Trowa commented and took a seat beside Quatre while Duo sat himself beside Harry. "Are you into acrobatics?"

Harry shrugged. "After I woke up in the hospital I practically had to learn how to walk again. My physical therapist was great, and she's a former acrobat. Once I entered the Police Academy I had her as my personal trainer." He nodded at Quatre when he offered to pour him some wine. "I kept on practicing regularly even after I joined the Preventers."

"I asked because I've noticed how you move," Trowa said as they put their portions on their plates and started to eat. "You move quietly, and your steps are measured and light."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Harry said with a smirk. "This is very good," he complimented the wine and Quatre smiled at him.

"You're welcome to join us every time," he offered and Harry nodded.

"Any other notable skills?" Wufei asked and Harry laughed while Sally and Relena rolled their eyes.

"I can't tell you everything, now can I?" Harry teased. "I'm sure you are all just _dying_ to get your hands on a computer." The former Gundam Pilots blushed a little sheepishly.

Well, all besides Duo.

He was still thinking about what Quatre told him while they were in the kitchen. He just couldn't get it out of his head. It seemed Harry was getting on well with everyone, and Duo couldn't deny that Harry seemed like a kind man with the way he was answering everyone's questions and how he treated Relena and Sally.

Trowa was right. Harry had a certain awareness around him that made it seem like he had seen war. It was as though Harry was used to watching his every step; as though he was used to danger.

It would be practically invisible to someone with an untrained eye, but Harry seemed constantly aware of everything going on around him. His eyes would dart around at every sound although he could mask his reactions like a professional.

There was a look in Harry's eyes Duo was used to seeing. He could see it every time he would look into a mirror or when he'd look into the eyes of his friends. It was the look of someone who fought for his life. Someone who spent time on the battlefield.

Duo had read Harry's file. He read Harry's medical file as well. He knew Harry was found on a riverbank in Old England a week after the Eve wars, and that he was in a coma for 2 months before he woke up with nothing but his own name as a memory. He knew it took Harry a year to learn how to walk again. He knew Harry passed the entrance exam for the Police Academy with flying colors and that he finished his education in the shortest amount of time.

Commander Hawkeye said that he held Harry in high esteem.

But what Duo _didn't_ know was what made Harry tick. He didn't know what made Harry get up every day and go to work. He didn't know what made Harry join the Preventers out of all things. He didn't know why Harry went to the Police Academy, or why he tried so hard to climb the ranks in Preventers faster than the speed of sound.

He didn't know who Harrison Evans-Potter was.

'Well. I guess I'll have time to find out,' Duo thought to himself and raised his head when everyone around the table laughed.

"So basically, Agent Berry was knee deep in mud, Agent Sawyer was _literally_ hanging on a line and I couldn't move because that _bloody_ bear was _too bloody heavy_!" Harry said and others laughed again making Duo realize he must have been too deep in thoughts.

"So your first mission as a Special Agent was quite…"

"It was a bloody comedy, that's what it was," Harry interrupted Sally and took a sip of his wine.

He seemed to have relaxed a lot since his hands were resting on the armrest of the chairs and his legs were slightly parted under the table. His shoulders weren't as tense as they were when he and Duo arrived, and his eyes were glimmering.

"I'm telling you, Hawkeye _never_ let me live that down. I told him that mission was too easy, and it _would have been_ had Sawyer been smart enough to check where he was walking."

"We all had missions similar to that one," Heero said.

"Yeah. Remember that one when you, Duo and I got trapped in that _shack_ in North Carolina?" Wufei smirked.

"The time Duo blew up the kitchen?" Heero asked.

"'Ey! 'Ow was I ta know tha damn stove worked on _gas_ of all things! Back during the wars we were lucky enough to have _rations_ , let alone a stove to cook on," Duo cried out in his defense.

"Yes, but you _still_ blew up the kitchen and we were _still_ trapped there because all our gear was _in_ the kitchen when you blew it up," Heero smirked at Duo who huffed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Note to self: on missions, I cook," Harry said and everyone laughed while Duo glared at him.

"That was 7 years ago," Duo growled and Harry raised an eyebrow at him.

"So?" Harry asked dully. "You saying you know how to cook now?"

"You bet I do," Duo bit out.

"I wouldn't know," Harry smirked. Everyone was snickering while Duo bristled at Harry.

"That's it mister. First evening we're free I'm making dinner," he growled and only then realized Harry was teasing him.

"Really now," Harry asked slyly. "It's on. _But_ if you mess up, next time _I'm_ cooking."

Duo barely fought off a blush and, just as barely, stopped himself from hitting Quatre, since the blonde was laughing his little heart out.

Now, let no one say that Duo was a man who didn't accept a challenge. No, he was no coward, even when his dignity was at stake. "You have yourself a deal, Potter," Duo growled and Harry grinned.

"Great! It's a date, then!"

Duo choked up and everyone laugh.

"First you go around seducing our women and then you hit on the most desired bachelor in Preventers," Wufei teased and Duo looked at him wide-eyed while Harry chuckled.

"Do not fret, my friend," he said and raised his glass. "The only straight thing about me is that I'm a straight up bastard when I want to be," he drawled with a smirk.

"Mr. Potter, such language around ladies," Relena spoke teasingly and Harry winked at her.

"I apologize, my Lady. I shall watch my tongue from now on," he apologized and Relena and Sally giggled.

"You're not half bad, Potter," Heero said and Harry snorted.

"Wait till you get to know me better. Hawkeye didn't choose my codename on a whim, you know?" he drawled and everyone laughed.

Everyone but Duo, that is. He was still somewhat bristling because he let himself be conned into anything.

You don't con a conman; you just don't!

Duo tensed up when his eyes met Harry's and the raven haired man had the decency to wink at him and toast him with his glass.

'You just wait, Potter,' Duo thought to himself and glared at Harry who looked at Sally when she asked him something. 'I'll show you not to tease Duo Maxwell.'

Everyone laughed at something and Duo relaxed in his chair with a small smirk.

'I'll show you.'

**cut**

"Thank you for a lovely day. I had fun," Harry said as he was getting ready to leave. Night has fallen and they have all entered the house after they cleaned up the back yard.

"No problem, Harry," Quatre said. "Like I said; you're welcome to join us every time." He glanced over his right shoulder making Harry raise an eyebrow. "Duo can be quite _difficult,_ " he whispered when he looked at Harry again, "but I can tell that you'll be good for him."

"Are you sure?" Harry asked, and Quatre nodded and continued speaking.

"Duo changed a lot in the past 8 years and, to be perfectly honest, we don't like what he's become. Today we saw him act in a way we haven't seen in years. I hope that with you as his partner he will become at least half the man we once knew."

Harry stared at Quatre with a small wary frown. "I don't know, Quatre," he murmured. "I'm not your regular Mr. Sunshine either. I have a truck load of my own problems, but I _can_ promise that I will try my best."

Quatre smiled and nodded his head. "That is more than I can ask of you, Harry."

"Thanks again," Harry said and shook Quatre's hand. "You have my number now, so call me if you need anything."

"Have a safe trip home," Quatre said and Harry smiled.

"See you," he said and left. Quatre watched as the man walked over to his bike, pulled on his helmet and waved at him before he drove off.

With a sigh, Quatre closed the door and walked into the living room where everyone else was.

"He left?" Trowa asked when Quatre joined him on the couch, and Trowa hugged him to his side.

"Yes."

"He seems like a really nice man," Relena commented. She and Heero were sitting on the love seat with Relena nestled against her husband who was holding her against his side lovingly.

"Sure he does," Sally said, "although I can't wait to get my hands on his file." Everyone but Duo nodded in agreement, and Relena rolled her eyes.

"Honestly, Sally. Sometimes I think you're just as bad as _they_ are," she spoke teasingly and Sally winked at her.

"Wufei rubbed off on me," she drawled and Relena giggled.

"What do you know about him, Duo?" Heero asked and the braided American shrugged.

"Not much. He has outstanding recommendations. He handled quite a few missions fit for us, and Une seems to hold him in high regard as well. He climbed the ranks of Preventers and gained his status as a Special Agent in a year. I'm not making any real decisions until I've seen him at work," Duo recited and the others nodded.

"He told us as much," Trowa said and Duo shrugged.

"There's not much to say. His past remains a mystery though. According to all the data he has, he fell out of the blue."

"Just like Heero, you and I did, Duo," Trowa reminded.

"Yeah, but still, we have _some_ memories from before the war, Trowa," Duo countered. "He's a complete phantom."

"Maybe he was from the colonies," Wufei suggested. "If he came from L2 for example, there is a possibility that there really _is_ no data on him anywhere in the system."

"That doesn't matter," Quatre said. "Hawkeye and Une are vouching for him. We'll see everything else for ourselves in time."

"We aren't exactly known as the most patient lot, Quatre," Heero stated dully and Quatre rolled his eyes at him.

"Well we'll have to be for this," he answered.

"I don't know," Relena murmured. "I like him. _Anyone_ who can make Duo Maxwell blush and bristle because of _anything_ is good in my book."

Duo glared at her lightly while everyone else laughed. "I'd expect at least _you_ to be on my side, Lena," Duo grumbled.

"We'll if you didn't _piss me off_ by _closing_ yourself in the HQ for more than a year then _maybe_ I _would_ be on your side," Relena bit out and Duo tensed up.

"Listen, guys," he bowed his head, "I know I hadn't been the best of friends for a long time but…"

"We understand, Duo," Wufei cut him off, "and even though it's nice to hear an apology from you it's not exactly needed. We are just worried about you."

"You're our friend no matter how long we didn't see you," Trowa added. "It _did_ hurt when it seemed like you've forgotten about us, but what hurt more than that was the fact that you've forgotten about yourself."

"We can barely recognize you, Duo," Sally said and Duo bowed his head. "You've become this tough Special Agent who speaks properly, never acts out, and performs missions in a way the Perfect Soldier performed them during the wars."

"We just think that you should relax a little," Heero said and Duo looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Even _I_ relaxed occasionally during the wars. You can't focus your whole life on your work. There are people around you who miss you."

To Duo, hearing all that from his best friends hurt. It hurt something awful.

He knew he had changed. He knew that he buried himself so deep into his job that he forgot _why_ he did it. He knew that if these people, his _friends and family_ , didn't love him as much as they did, they would have forgotten about him less than a year ago when he stopped coming to gatherings.

"I'm sorry, guys," he apologized honestly and raised his head, letting everyone see the tears in his eyes; tears he would never cry. "I'm sorry fer shuttin' ya out." In a moment found himself enveloped in Quatre's and Sally's arms.

"It's alright, Duo. You're here now," Quatre comforted.

"We'll just have to try harder to pull you out of your office," Sally added. "I can even write a report deeming you unfit for duty!" she joked and Duo laughed.

"Sure," he chuckled. "I dun kno' who'd Une kill first; you 'r me."

Everyone laughed at that.

"What they said. You're lucky to have us, baka," Wufei drawled and Duo nodded.

"I'd come to hug you but Quatre's love seat is too fluffy," Relena said and everyone laughed again. "Quatre and Sally are right, Duo. We all love you. Heero and I would be more than happy to have you around when this little one comes out."

"But not alone with them," Heero blurted out, earning himself an elbow into the ribs. Everyone laughed again while Duo shook his head with a small smile.

His throat was closed up and he was fighting back tears with everything he had.

Yes, he was lucky to have them. They were his family - his blessing - even though he firmly believed he didn't deserve them.

"Thank you, guys," he said and looked at everyone. "Thank you."

**cut**

Harry closed and locked the door of his house. He threw his keys into a small basked that sat on top of a hallway cabinet.

With heavy steps he walked up the stairs and into his bedroom. After he threw himself on the bed he looked at the ceiling and sighed.

"You did it, Harry," he muttered into the silence. "You're finally here," he swallowed and licked his lips, "and now comes the hard part."

He turned on his side and opened his fisted right hand to look at his palm.

He closed his eyes and frowned when his mind was filled with voices, images, emotions and flashes of blue light. His eyes snapped open and he realized he was breathing quickly and that his body was covered in a thin layer of cold sweat.

"Damn it…" he muttered and pulled into himself. 'I just hope it won't take too long.' He closed his eyes and pulled in on himself, wrapping his arms around his waist. 'I don't know how much time I have left.'

**cut**


	5. Cheshire Cat

**cut**

Duo sighed as he parked his car on the HQ parking lot. It was practically empty, since Duo had a habit of coming before anyone else.

He got out of the car, locked it, and looked around only to frown. Parked beside the entrance door was Harry's bike.

"Hn," he grunted. "Another early riser," he muttered and started on his way towards the door. He nodded at Trisha, the secretary, who was practically asleep at her post with a cup of coffee carefully cradled in her hands.

"Morning, Agent Shinigami," she mumbled and Duo's lips tilted into a small smile as he walked past her, completely missing the shocked expression that crossed Trisha's face.

"Morning, Trisha," he greeted as he entered the elevator and nodded at her once more before the door closed.

He sighed and leaned against the wall as the elevator took him to the top floor. It has been an emotion filled night for him. If he were to be perfectly honest with himself, he would say that he needed that wakeup call from his friends. He realized he completely neglected not only his relationship with them, but he neglected himself as well.

He allowed himself to be pulled into his job so much that he forgot there were other things than his job in his life that needed attention.

The elevator stopped and the door opened. His sensitive nose picked up the scent of fresh coffee and he raised an eyebrow at that. He walked down the hallway between offices until he reached his own. He pushed the door open only to stop and raise an eyebrow.

"Morning," Harry greeted him with a smile.

Duo's eyebrows met the line of his hair.

Harry's table was covered in meticulously arranged files and a black laptop was in front of him. Reading glasses sat on the tip of Harry's nose and he looked at Duo over the top of the glasses.

"Morning," Duo answered and walked in. "You're early."

Harry chuckled as he closed his laptop and nodded at the cup of coffee on Duo's desk. "I like to come before the rush. I like to make my own coffee; at least the first one," Harry explained while Duo hung his jacket on the hanger and walked over to his desk.

"What are you working on?" Duo asked as he took a seat at his table and took the cup into his hand. The scent was great, the texture perfect, and he barely suppressed a moan at the rich taste missing the smirk that covered Harry's face.

"Une called me yesterday when I came home and told me to look over a few of these cases. She said she would like to see us in her office at noon."

Duo nodded. "Found anything?"

Harry sighed and took a file from the neat pile to his right. "I'll let you know the moment I do."

Duo nodded and turned to his own laptop.

They fell into a comfortable silence, and, even though he would never say this out loud, Duo actually missed this. He missed having a partner he could trust to do his part of the job.

Now, he didn't know Harry, but Duo _did_ promise to friends that he would give Harry a chance.

It was still too early to make any real conclusions, but just now Harry showed him he took the job seriously enough to come in an hour early just to have some peace to do some real work before the other Agents and Special Agents rushed in.

They worked in silence with Duo reading through several reports sent to him by some agents and Harry reading through the files he had on his table.

Three hesitant, quiet knocks made the two look up. The door opened and Agent Campbell poked her head in. "G-good morning, Special Agent Maxwell; Special Agent Potter," she stuttered out.

"What is it, Campbell?" Duo asked and she yelped, and Harry barely suppressed a snicker.

Duo addressed her normally, but the girl seemed so afraid of him that Duo could be surrounded by daises and wearing a bunny outfit and she would still shiver in fright in front of him.

"Commander Une wants to see you in her office, Special Agent Maxwell. Special Agent…"

"You can call me Agent Potter," Harry cut her off and Jessica nodded.

"Agent Potter, Special Agent Chang wants to see you in his office."

Harry raised an eyebrow while Duo snorted and shook his head. "Meddling son of a gun," he muttered and stood up. "You're free to go, Campbell."

The girl disappeared quicker than one can say 'see you', and Harry chuckled as he shook his head. "Good heavens, the girl is _terrified_ of you, Duo. What did you do to her?"

"Hell if I know," Duo muttered and fixed his tie. "As much as I know she fears her own shadow."

Harry chuckled and stood up. "Where is Wufei's office?"

"Third door on the right," Duo answered and sighed, "and I'm going to face the dragon," he muttered and Harry laughed.

He clapped Duo's back on their way out of the office and Duo raised an eyebrow at him. There were quite a few Agents in the hallway by now and most of them didn't manage to hide their shocked expressions at the friendly display Harry was showing.

"I'm sure she's not that bad," Harry comforted.

"Wait till you piss her off," Duo muttered and left Harry in front of Wufei's door.

"Well, then don't piss her off," Harry answered smugly and Duo scoffed at him.

"Smartass," he bit out and left without another word.

Harry shook his head, lips tilted into a smirk, and knocked on Wufei's door. "Enter!" Harry entered the office and nodded at the Chinese man. "Morning, Harry. How are you?"

Harry smiled at him and shook his hand. "Surprisingly good. Yesterday was quite relaxing."

Wufei smiled and nodded. He showed Harry to take a seat on a couch and joined him after he took a cup off of his table. Judging by the scent it was herbal tea.

"I wanted to ask you about your impressions," Wufei said and Harry smiled.

"About HQ, Duo, or yesterday's gathering?"

Wufei chuckled and shook his head. "A bit about everything."

Harry nodded and sighed. "Well, what can I say? Une called me yesterday and I was just looking through some of your unsolved cases. I must say, you're better organized than the English branch."

Wufei nodded. "We need to thank Special Agent Noin Marquise for that. She is in charge of Records." Harry nodded. "Her husband, Zechs is the head of the Homicide Department."

"You and Duo are heads of the Anti-Terrorist Department?" Harry asked.

"No. Duo is head of the ATD. I'm in charge of training the new recruits, but I work with Duo on occasion."

"Like I said; you're better organized than the English Branch."

"We're smaller than the English branch," Wufei reminded and Harry chuckled.

"Yes; I noticed."

Wufei's lips tilted into a small smile. "What do you think about Duo? Will you be able to work with him?"

Harry hummed and tilted his head to the right with a thoughtful countenance. "I think we'll be able to work together just fine, once we get used to each other. I can tell that Duo is used to working alone. I've read a few files of the people he worked with, and I've noticed a pattern of sorts."

Wufei nodded. "Most of us have noticed the pattern," he agreed. "It depends on the mission actually. Most of the time if it's a simple recon mission, Une will either send him in alone, or with a few of the new recruits. Especially if that group of recruits is _problematic,_ " Wufei drawled and Harry chuckled.

"I think I know why. I have gathered the impression that Duo isn't the best person to work with if you're not dedicated to the job."

"You're right about that. He is a great Agent, and a great friend to have, but he's not all that great when 'pissed off'." Wufei shook his head although the smile on his face was full of fondness.

"Shinigami?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow and Wufei smirked.

"Yes. Shinigami."

Harry nodded and looked at his wristwatch. "Is there anything else? I need to go back to those unsolved cases."

Wufei smiled and stood up followed by Harry. "Yes. Sally and I are having lunch together and Duo promised he would join us. You're invited as well, especially since someone will probably need to remind Duo that it's lunch time."

Harry laughed and nodded his head at him. "Sure. Lunch is at 1, right?"

"Right," Wufei confirmed and followed Harry to the doorway.

"I'll see you there."

"Harry?" Wufei stopped Harry before he got out of Wufei's office.

"Yes?"

"You seem like a good man. I don't want to sound presumptuous, but I would like to ask you to try as hard as you can. Duo needs a partner he can trust. The guys and I can't be there all the time."

Harry looked at Wufei seriously and nodded his head. "I'll try my best, Wufei. I promise," Harry said and Wufei smiled.

"Good. I'll see you at lunch." When the door closed behind Harry, Wufei walked back to his table, took a seat and smiled when his eyes fell on the picture of all the Gundam Pilots right after the first war.

Hopefully, everything will soon fall into place.

Hopefully.

**cut**

"Enter!" Duo sighed and entered Une's office.

"You called," he said and took a seat in front of her desk.

"I wanted to talk to you about that mission you and Chang led."

Duo frowned. "The one in the mountains of Old Scotland?" he muttered and Une nodded.

"I've sent a team to check it out. They went on foot with minimal technology on them. They just came back," she said and Duo leaned forward in interest.

"What did they find?" he asked.

"Something… _peculiar,_ " she said and Duo frowned.

"In what way?"

"The snow and ice have completely melted. According to the pictures they took, at first I thought they went to the wrong place." Duo's frown deepened. "There is no trace of the snow and ice you came upon, and the energy readings are practically nonexistent."

"That's strange," Duo muttered. "That amount of ice and snow leaves tracks, not to mention that such an energy field can't just _disappear_."

Une nodded. "My thoughts exactly," she said. "That's why I've decided to have the R&D department check out your equipment thoroughly. There must be something to salvage."

"You know Heero and Quatre will be more than happy to help," Duo said and Une nodded.

"I'll have them summoned."

"Anything else?" Duo asked and Une nodded.

"How are you and Agent Potter?"

"We're good for now. You had him look through some of our unsolved cases."

"Yes. I want you two to come by my office around noon if he finds something."

Duo nodded and stood up. "You will keep me informed?"

"Yes," Une said. Duo nodded, saluted her lightly, and left her office.

Once the door closed Une looked down at the file in front of her; one she conveniently kept hidden from Duo with her hands crossed over it.

It was an old file; a _very_ old file.

It dated to before the colonies.

She had no idea how Hawkeye stumbled upon it.

He just said he found a few of those when he just started as an agent, and he and a few of his teammates were researching an old police station in Old London. Under tons of rocks and wood, they found a room filled with metal cabinets.

The cabinets contained old police files.

Some were of cases, some were of different personnel.

Hawkeye sent this particular file to her on Saturday saying she would find it interesting but not to show it to the Gundam Pilots or Harrison.

She could guess why.

She opened the file and looked at the photo in the upper right corner.

The photo was time worn and faded. Its edges were slightly charred, but if one looked hard enough they could faintly make out the features of the man in the photo.

With the file, Hawkeye sent her what he could redo of the written parts of the documents.

"Harry James Potter," she muttered and passed with her fingers over the letters, "son of Lilly Potter nee Evans and James Potter." She looked up at her computer. The kind face of Harrison Potter-Evans gazed at her with gentle, emerald eyes and lips tilted up into a small smile.

There was an old name for such a smile.

One that also dated to long before the colonies.

The Mona Lisa smile.

She looked back at the photo in the file.

Harsh jade eyes and lips pulled into a thin, stoic line.

The similarity was undeniable.

Never the less, it was impossible.

This file was over 300 years old at _least_.

It was impossible.

Simply impossible.

**cut**

"Duo, I need you to check this out for me."

Duo looked up from the unsolved cases he was going through and nodded at Harry. The man stood up and walked over to Duo.

He took a seat on the edge of Duo's table, opened the file and placed it in front of Duo. "I gathered this from several different files. Whoever wrote these reports didn't make the connection I made. I would like for you to check it out. I might be wrong."

Duo raised an eyebrow at that and looked at Harry with surprise coloring his violet eyes.

"We're partners, Duo," Harry answered Duo's unasked question. "I'm not perfect. I might be on a wild goose chase here, and two heads think better than one."

Duo nodded at that and looked at the file. After a few moments a dark frown marred his handsome features and his eyes shadowed.

"Is everything alright?" Harry asked and Duo looked up at him.

"How did you manage to connect this?" he asked and Harry frowned. "I mean, I see what you did there, but _how_?" Duo clarified and Harry leaned closer.

"I worked on two cases from here and here," Harry said and pulled out two pieces of paper. He pulled out the map he put in the file and spread it over Duo's desk. He showed at two small towns, located in Old England. "Old Yowl and Old Brighton. Murder of 6 young women; three in each town." Duo nodded. "Each time I'd get somewhere, something would get in the way. I have yet to solve these."

Harry stood up to stand beside Duo, and pulled out two more papers.

"Then I found these," he said. "I don't know why two Agents from HQ worked on these two. They caught my eye because of the same pattern; same signature."

"Why wasn't I informed of this?" Duo muttered. "Why wasn't _Une_ informed of this?"

Harry grunted and placed the four pieces of paper on the map. "Third murder happened in Builth Wells, and the fourth happened in Ipswich, England." Harry said. "Now," he moved the papers away and pulled the map closer, "do you have a black marker?"

Duo nodded and opened the first drawer of his desk. He gave Harry the marker and Harry smiled at him in thanks. "Show me what you've got," Duo said and Harry nodded.

"The murder in Old Yowl. Three girls inside a circled pentagram. We found traces of wax."

"Candles?" Duo asked and Harry nodded.

"Black ones," he clarified. "The girls were dressed in white sleeping gowns, their wrists and necks cut." He went to his table and took four files from another pile. He gave one to Duo who winced when he saw the pictures.

"Nasty," he muttered, and Harry grunted and nodded.

"Second murder in Old Brighton," Harry continued and gave Duo another file. Duo accepted it and frowned when he saw the pictures. "Both happened in the churches located on old graveyards."

"Let me guess," Duo muttered. "The murders in Ipswich and Builth Wells are the same."

"Completely the same." Harry gave Duo the last two files, and the braided man checked them out. "One of the things Hawkeye taught me is that once is happenstance, twice is coincidence and thrice is a pattern," Harry said and ran his right hand through his hair.

"Four times' a serial murder case," Duo muttered.

"That's not all." Duo looked at Harry with a frown. Harry uncapped the marker and leaned over the map. Duo frowned when Harry started to connect lines on the map. Duo's frown deepened when a pentagram appeared on the map, clear as daylight.

"You have got to be kidding me," Duo muttered.

"There's more," Harry murmured through his teeth. "All four murders happened on the first night of the Sickle Moon. Deaths of the victims were estimated exactly…"

"Let me guess. Midnight," Duo sighed and Harry nodded. "We need to show this to Une," Duo said. "Seems we've got ourselves ritualistic murders."

"What about the fifth point?" Harry asked and Duo looked at the map. The fifth point of the pentagram landed exactly in Nottingham.

"We're got ourselves a case, Potter." Duo clapped Harry's back with his right hand, and quickly gathered everything. "Come on. I hope Une doesn't have anyone in the office right now."

Harry nodded and looked at his wristwatch. "Its quarter till noon," he said and Duo nodded.

"Let's go then." They made their way out of their office.

"You never said why Une needed to see you," Harry commented.

Duo hummed as they entered the elevator to go one more floor up; the floor with only Une's office. "She wanted to inform me that she would need Heero and Quatre to help the R&D department with recovering the data from Wufei's and mine mission from a month ago."

Harry frowned. "I thought it was all destroyed in the power surge."

Duo nodded at Harry, just as the door opened and they stepped out into the hallway. "Une hopes it can be recovered. I need to tell this to Wufei as well. Can it wait until lunch? I _know_ he asked you to join us."

Harry smirked as they stopped in front of the door leading to Une's office. "Sure," Harry said and knocked.

"Enter!" Une snapped.

"She doesn't sound happy," Duo muttered as they entered and Harry plastered on a grin.

"You don't sound overly happy, Commander!" he said as they took seats and Duo barely stopped himself from shooting an incredulous glare at Harry.

"To the point, Potter. I just got a call and I need to move out in half an hour. What some politicians won't do…" she growled and Harry chuckled.

"You don't have to say that twice," he muttered and Une's lips tilted into a thin smile.

"Did you two find anything?" she asked and Harry looked at Duo, and the braided man spared Harry a glance.

Une was seriously surprised at the quiet communication. Whether it was the experience the two had under their respective belts, or there was some chemistry between them, she could already conclude that she didn't make a mistake by putting them together.

"We think we've got ourselves a case," Duo said and placed the file on her table.

Une frowned and opened it. "Let's see what this is."

**cut**

"I'll have a Handler from Support get everything ready for you. If your deductions are correct and Nottingham is the next on the list, you two need to be there. When is the next Sickle Moon?"

"Three weeks from now if I calculated correctly. The last murder happened some 10 days ago," Harry answered and Une frowned.

"Enough time to infiltrate the community," she concluded.

"So, our first mission is an Infiltration mission," Duo said and Harry smirked.

"Your Handler with prepare everything for you. I'll contact Barton. I need someone I can trust to check out the crime scenes." Une took her glasses off to rub the bridge of her nose with her fingers.

"Which Barton?" Harry asked and looked at Duo.

"Trowa. Back when he was still a full time agent there were rumors that he could find a rabbit's tracks in a week old snow," Duo said with a small smile.

Harry snorted and nodded. "I see how he could help," he said and looked at his wristwatch. "Is that all, commander?" he asked and looked up only to frown. Une was looking at him with a scrutinizing gaze. "Is everything alright?"

Une raised an eyebrow at him. "Yes. Yes it is. Off you go now. I'll tell the Handler to have everything ready by 20.00 today. You're leaving with the first shuttle tomorrow."

Harry and Duo nodded and stood up. "We might as well go to the Cafeteria now," Harry suggested.

"Wouldn't want to leave Wufei and Sally waiting," Duo grumbled and Harry chuckled.

"Oh you know you love them."

The door closed behind them and Une sighed. She looked at the screen of her computer with a frown.

No matter how hard she tried not to think about it she couldn't deny it.

There was a connection between this Harry James Potter and Harrison Potter-Evans.

But what was it?!

**cut**

"So, your first mission?" Wufei asked as they took seats with their lunch.

"We're moving out tomorrow if everything is ready,." Harry confirmed and poured the dressing over his Greek Salad making Duo wrinkle his nose.

"How can you _eat_ that?" he muttered, and Harry and Wufei exchanged an amused glance. While the two of them ordered salad, Sally and Duo had their trays loaded with a double portion of French fries, a large hamburger and some kind of soda.

"I keep wondering how you two can eat _that,_." Wufei muttered. Sally and Duo shot him a glare, and bit into their fries with gusto.

Harry chuckled and shook his head. "I am so cooking on this mission," he muttered and Duo glared at him.

"Didn't Duo agree to cook for you?" Sally recalled and barely managed to move her foot away from Duo's, making the braided man wince when his foot met the leg of the table and shook everything.

"Oh, right!" Harry said and grinned. "Imagine that, oh partner of mine! You get to cook the first night!"

"Yippy," Duo drawled sarcastically.

By now the whole room was looking at them.

It was mostly because most of them had yet to see Harry. By now the word of the new Special Agent who was the new partner of Special Agent Shinigami has spread through the HQ faster than a good case of the Flu.

The second reason for everyone's interest in them was the fact that Duo hardly if _ever_ came to the cafeteria. Even rarer was the occasion when he would sit with someone.

"A Serial Murder case?" Sally asked and Harry nodded since Duo was busy eating.

"What I want to know is how the Agents from HQ didn't connect the murders in Ipswich and Builth Wells with the ones I worked on before I was removed from the case because of the transfer," Harry commented thoughtfully.

"Do you know who worked on them?" Wufei asked and Harry shook his head with a frown.

"No. It's funny actually. No one signed those reports."

Duo and Sally stopped eating and the four of them exchanged wary glances.

"Someone should look into that," Sally murmured.

"I'll do that once we settle in Nottingham," Duo said.

"I almost forgot," Harry remembered and looked at Duo. "You said you'd tell us what Une wanted you for."

"Oh, yeah," Duo muttered and looked at Wufei. "It seems Une sent a team to investigate the mountains of Old Scotland."

Wufei frowned at that while Sally and Harry leaned closer. "What did they find?" Wufei asked.

"Nothing. Literally nothing," Duo said and leaned back in his chair. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at his half eaten hamburger. "She said they couldn't find a trace of the snow and ice. What is even _more_ confusing is that there's no trace of that huge energy source."

"Impossible," Wufei muttered. "It would take months for all that snow and ice to melt since it's the beginning of Spring now, and it would take _years_ for such energy to be completely erased from that area."

Duo nodded. "She said she would send for Heero and Quatre. She needs all the help she can get to try and salvage any sort of data from our equipment."

Wufei's eyes narrowed although in nodded in understanding.

"You still don't remember anything?" Sally asked while Harry listened to them with a thoughtful frown on his face.

"Nothing. The more I try to think about it, the less I remember," Duo said and Wufei nodded.

"Same here."

"There's no sense in dwelling," Harry said and everyone looked at him. "I'm sure the R&D team will manage to find something. You just need to be patient." The other three nodded.

"We should go back to work now," Wufei muttered and looked at his wrist watch. "I have a new batch of Recruits waiting."

Harry and Sally snickered while Duo snorted. "I just hope they are better than the last bunch," he said and they stood up.

"I doubt it. Have you seen them? They either look like they'll piss themselves or like spoiled, stuck up _brats,_ " Sally commented dryly.

"Are they really that bad?" Harry asked.

"Trust me," Wufei drawled. "They are _that_ bad."

"Well, maybe they just need to be scared a little," Harry suggested and Wufei raised an eyebrow at him as they walked towards the elevator.

"You know, that's actually a good idea. How do you suppose we do that?" he asked and Harry shrugged.

"Back at the Branch, Hawkeye would have two best Agents have a sparring mach."

Wufei raised an eyebrow at first. A second later an evil smirk crossed his handsome features. "I think Heero is available tomorrow afternoon," he drawled and Sally snickered.

"Sure. Bring in the Perfect Soldier." She rolled her eyes, although she seemed excited by the possibility.

"I'd have Duo give it a go, but he and Harry are leaving tomorrow."

"Next time then," Duo said as they stopped at Sally's and Wufei's floor.

"Next time. Call in when you two get to Nottingham," Wufei said as he and Sally got out of the elevator and the door started to close.

"Will do," Duo said and he and Harry were left alone in the elevator.

"So..." Harry said and Duo spared him a sideways glance. "Our first mission. This should prove to be interesting."

Duo snorted. "Sure," he muttered and the elevator stopped.

Harry chuckled as they stepped out. "At least I'll have the honor of Duo Maxwell cooking for me," Harry said making Duo stop in his tracks. Every head in the hallway turned towards them.

"Wha…"

"See ya!" Harry rushed down the hallway with a little wave, leaving Duo to steam in front of the elevator.

"Potter! Get back here, you sly little bastard! I'll KILL ya!"

**cut**


	6. Tweedle Dee And Tweedle Dum

**cut**

"Okay," Duo said, as he and Harry stood in the doorway of what would be their apartment during their stay in Nottingham. "Is this some kind of a joke?!" he snapped while Harry just chuckled, and walked further into the apartment.

"I'm afraid not, partner," he smirked as he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned against the closest wall, looking at Duo with eyes full of mischief. "A one bedroom apartment; our Handler has a certain sense of humor."

Duo bristled at that, and his cheeks reddened. "I'll gut him the next time I see him," he growled, and Harry snorted, rolling his eyes.

"Calm down, miss Modesty," he drawled and pushed away from the wall he's been leaning on. "I'll take the living room. The bedroom is all yours." He walked past Duo who glared at him for all it was worth.

To Harry it was cute. Duo almost looked like he was pouting.

"Is this funny to you?!" Duo snapped.

"Duo, it's not like this is your first assignment of this sort," Harry said as he walked into the living room, and all but threw himself on the couch.

The apartment was comfy; one bedroom, one living room, a bathroom and a kitchen. It even had a small balcony connected to the bedroom. All in all, it was compact. There wasn't much place for anyone to hide anything in, so their safety was guaranteed if they took the necessary precautions that is.

"Of course it isn't," Duo grumbled and took a heavy seat in an armchair.

"Then what are you moaning about?" Harry asked, and looked at Duo with heavy eyes. He was sitting on the couch in a relaxed position with his legs parted and arms thrown over the backrest of the couch. "So what if every person living in this apartment block thinks we're together. We can't pass for brothers, and this way not many people will wonder why we're almost constantly together. It's a pretty good idea, actually. Fewer questions will be asked."

Duo frowned and looked at Harry with a scrutinizing glare. "You seem used to this," Duo muttered, and Harry snorted.

"Back at the Branch I was almost always partnered with this guy, Jeremy Prince. Most of our infiltration missions have been stationed like this. Of course, since he's my senior for some 10 years it was a bit awkward the first two times, but after that we've gotten used to each other."

"Yeah, well most of the time, when it came to infiltration mission I worked alone," Duo said, and sat back in his armchair. He crossed his arms over his chest and glared at the turned off TV in the corner of the living room. Harry chuckled at that, and pushed himself into a sitting position before he got up and made his way out of the room.

"Well, you'll just have to get used to me then," he clapped Duo's right shoulder as he passed beside him, and Duo grumbled something under his breath as he stood up to follow him.

"So, _partner_?" he drawled as he followed Harry into the small kitchen. "What would be your course of action if you were with your _Prince_?"

Harry chuckled at that as he opened the fridge. "Well, one of us would set up base while the other went out to the nearest store, and check out the neighborhood." He winced as he checked out the empty inside of the fridge. "I see that the Handlers are all alike. They think we live off of air," he muttered, and Duo snorted at that. "I'd go shopping more often, since Remy couldn't cook to save his life." He closed the fridge and turned around to look at Duo, pushing his hands in the back pockets of his trousers.

"I'll leave that to you then," Duo said, and Harry smirked, making Duo tense up a bit.

"Really now? Aren't you the one cooking tonight?" Harry teased, and slowly walked over to Duo. The former Death Scythe pilot tensed up even more when Harry stopped less than a foot away.

Duo realized Harry was slightly taller than him; not much, but enough to notice once they were standing this close. "Potter," Duo growled, "get _out_ of my face."

Harry's smirk grew, and his eyes glimmered mischievously. "Am I making you uncomfortable, Duo?" Harry asked with a challenging grin, and Duo bristled.

"I hate you," Duo muttered, and turned on his heel.

He would never, _never_ admit that when he heard Harry laugh in the kitchen he actually felt his heart jump a little. But he wouldn't admit that under the threat of death.

Not even then.

"I'll be back in an hour tops!" Harry called out, and Duo could hear that he was suppressing laughter.

"Go choke on a chicken bone!" Duo shouted right back, and he would never admit that when he heard Harry laugh again, he actually smiled a little himself.

**cut**

"No, it's okay, really."

Duo looked up from his laptop when he heard the front door open and Harry addressed someone. He stood up, and walked into the hallway.

"Hey, luv!" Harry said with a grin as he passed beside Duo with at least 6 paper bags in his arms. _"Act!"_ he hissed in Duo's ear in passing, and Duo swore he _didn't_ shiver when Harry's warm breath tickled his ear. He concentrated instead on the old kind looking lady in the doorway.

"Did you get everything?" he asked as he approached the lady.

"Sure!" Harry shouted.

"You have a very nice young man over there, deary," she said as Duo approached her, and smiled at her. "Amanda Jones. I live in the apartment right next to you."

"Pleasure to meet you, Ma'am." Duo offered his right hand to her. "Maxwell Wilson; friends call me Max." He bowed in front of her as he kissed her knuckles and she giggled at him with a knowing shine in her eyes.

"Welcome into our humble building," she said just as Harry joined them in the hallway. He braced his left hand on the doorframe behind Duo and leaned closer to him, and Duo swallowed when the scent of Harry's aftershave tickled his nose.

'This guy sure knows how to play them,' Duo thought to himself, and for the first time in a while felt his own mischievous side awaken.

"Call me if you need help again, Mrs. Jones. If I'm home, I'll be happy to help you," Harry offered, and Amanda giggled again.

"Oh, you're such a darling young man," she said.

"Yeah." Duo said with a grin, and Harry shot him a glance with a raised eyebrow. "Such a _darling_."

Harry's eyebrows met the line of his hair, and Amanda giggled again. "I won't bother you anymore, my dear boys. If you need anything, please, don't be afraid to knock."

"Thank you, ma'am," Duo said.

"Oh, not a problem, Max." She waved him off. "I'll see you later, Evan," she greeted Harry, and left. Duo closed the door, and before he managed to say anything he realized Harry was gone.

He walked into the kitchen, and found Harry unpacking the bags he brought in. "You're quick in making friends," Duo said as he leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Contacts, Duo," Harry said as he moved around the kitchen, placing everything in its proper place. "Old people know everything and anything about everyone and anyone in a city with less than 40 000 citizens." Duo nodded at that. "She already told me that besides us, no one moved into Nottingham in the past 4 months, which basically means that our suspects aren't here yet, or that they are hiding somewhere still, which means we have time to build up a territory."

Duo nodded in understanding, and raised an eyebrow when he saw that Harry bought everything from fruit, vegetables and meat, to a few different sorts of cereals, gallons of milk and a few packages of coffee and tea. "You're thorough," he muttered, and Harry chuckled.

"I hate takeout. During my Academy days I didn't have much time to cook, so for the past years I've been making up for that."

"You love to cook?" Duo asked. He didn't know why he felt compelled to talk to Harry, but his instincts were rarely, if ever, wrong. After all, they would spend at least a month together in this small apartment. While bickering and petty threats were fun, they would need to talk about something else than the mission eventually.

"It's relaxing," Harry said. He turned, looked at Duo, and smiled a little with his hands pushed in his back pockets again. "I don't have to think much when I'm cooking. It's easy."

Duo nodded, although he couldn't quite agree. He wasn't bad at cooking. He had to learn how to cook since he lived alone, and even though he loved fast food, he knew he couldn't live off of it. He wasn't the best cook in the world, and he needed to concentrate while cooking. With his ADD, it was hard for him to concentrate sometimes, but he was managing better than he did during the wars.

"I wouldn't say relaxing, exactly, but I agree to an extent," Duo said, and Harry smiled.

"If you don't feel like cooking tonight, maybe we should go out to eat. It would give us a chance to familiarize ourselves with the area."

"You're just trying to get me out on a date," Duo said before he managed to think it through. He barely stopped himself from blushing. He failed to realize that it was easier than he thought it would be to fall into the old habits he had with the others. Harry was easy to get along with, and Duo couldn't help himself when it came down to teasing, since he teased Wufei and Heero the same way many times before.

"What if I am?" and _obviously_ Harry had no qualms about returning with equal fire, unlike Heero and Trowa, since he was now _again_ very close to Duo, and the scent of his aftershave made Duo's mind a little fuzzy.

"Then you'll have to think of something better than taking me out for dinner," Duo said, and his eyebrow twitched when he saw the corner of Harry's lips tilt a little. "I'm going to check my mail. Don't kill yourself," he said, and left for the living room.

He wasn't running away. He absolutely _wasn't_.

Not a chance.

**cut**

"You ready?" Harry asked after he knocked on the door of the bedroom.

"Sure," Duo said, and opened the door. His eyebrow twitched when he saw that Harry was dressed in black, slightly faded jeans, and a button up emerald shirt that accented his eyes in a way that made them seem almost out-worldly. His muscled body was accented by his tight clothes, and Duo managed to sight the discreetly hidden gun Harry had on himself.

"Looking good," Harry said with a smirk.

It was true. Duo's red turtleneck accented his strong torso, and his black jeans hung low on his hips. His hair was in his trademark braid, and the red of his turtleneck accented the copper strands in his hair.

"Shall we? My car and your bike were delivered an hour ago. Which one should we take?" Harry asked while they pulled on their jackets and made their way towards the door.

"Your bike. We'll have more places to park it," Duo answered, and Harry nodded.

"Sure." They got out of their apartment, and Harry locked the door while Duo pressed a button on his keys that activated the alarm system he set up while Harry was out shopping. They got out of the building in silence, and walked over to the parking lot. Duo raised an eyebrow when Harry pulled out two helmets from the storage under the seat.

"Here you go," he offered Duo the red one. Duo accepted it and put it on while Harry pulled on the black one. He snapped the visor shut and took a seat. He tapped the helmet, and Duo located a small button on the inside of his own.

 _"Get on, and hold on tight, Pocahontas,"_ Harry teased, and Duo felt an irresistible need to punch him off the bike. He took a seat behind Harry, and wrapped his arms around Harry's waist.

 _"Take me home to England, John,"_ Duo drawled, and heard Harry chuckle.

He _would_ find a way to make Harry stutter.

That was a promise.

And Duo never broke his promises.

**cut**

Heero cursed under his breath when he didn't manage to open the file again. He received a part of the equipment Wufei, Duo and their teammates carried with themselves on that mission. It was practically ruined, but if anyone could salvage anything it was Heero and Quatre.

Although this time it may require a lot of effort.

"Is everything alright?" Relena asked. Heero stood up almost immediately, and walked over to his pregnant wife.

"I thought you already went to bed," he worried and she smiled at him lovingly.

"And I thought you were done trying to fix it for today, love," she teased, and Heero sighed.

"You know me, Lena."

She giggled lightly at him and nodded. "Yes, I know you, Ro. Better than you know yourself, even." He rolled his eyes but bowed down when she leaned up to kiss him. "And I know that you need rest now. You have been working on the programs with Quatre the whole day, and even though I know you feel compelled to get this job done as soon as possible, I also know you are not 16 anymore."

"Are you saying I'm old?" he chuckled, and Relena smirked at him.

"I'm _saying_ that you're not 16 anymore, love. Now. Come to bed. We have an early meeting tomorrow."

Heero sighed, and followed his wife to their bedroom. "I still don't understand why you insist on going to those meetings, Lena. You're pregnant. You could…"

"I have at _least_ 5 more weeks until the designated date, love. I'm perfectly healthy, and I have you to watch over me. I know I'm as safe as I can be."

Heero chuckled as they entered their bedroom, and started getting ready for bed. "Trowa is leaving for Old Ipswich tomorrow. I have no doubt that Quatre will practically move in with us during Trowa's investigation."

"Well, at least you won't be working alone then, and I'll have someone else beside Sally and Noin to talk with."

"And what am I? Chopped liver?" Heero asked, and Relena laughed.

" _You_ , Heero Yuy, are my _husband_. It's in your job description," she said as they got into bed.

Heero pulled her to his strong chest, and kissed the crown of her head. "You and our child are more important to me than any job could ever be." Relena smiled, and hugged her husband to the best of her abilities. Her child moved in her womb, and Heero huffed when he felt the kick against his stomach. "They have your energy," he said, and Relena smiled when Heero placed his big, warm hand on her stomach.

"Our son will have your strength, and intelligence."

"Our son?" Heero asked, and Relena looked up at him.

"Do you not want a son?" she asked.

"I would love a son or a daughter equally, Lena, just because he or she is our child."

Relena smiled lovingly, and kissed her husband. "Every day you manage to remind me why I married you, Heero Yuy."

Heero's Prussian orbs glowed warmly, and he kissed Relena's forehead lovingly. "And every day I fall in love with you more and more," he admitted.

"Even though I was a spoiled brat at the beginning?" she asked teasingly.

"Even though you were a spoiled brat at the beginning," Heero answered, and Relena slapped his chest playfully. Heero chuckled, and kissed her forehead again.

"Go to sleep, koi. Sweet dreams."

"Good night, my Hero. Sweet dreams."

**cut**

"You are insane, you know that?" Duo asked once he took off his helmet. They were parked in front of a small diner in the center of Nottingham, and their appearance turned quite a few heads. "You drive like a fricking maniac."

Harry chuckled, and accepted Duo's helmet to put them both away. He locked the storage, and put the keys into the inside pocket of his black leather jacket. "Admit it, you like it that way," Harry said, draped his left arm around Duo's shoulders, and they made their way into the diner.

"You are a _beast_ , Evan," Duo growled, and Harry chuckled. They entered the diner, and Harry pulled back his arm as they looked for a place to sit. They found one in the back of the diner, and they made their way over.

"You know you love me, _Max,_ " Harry drawled, and they took seats.

"Good evening." A young woman walked over. She was quite pretty with her shoulder-long red hair, round face, and baby blue eyes. Her name tag said her name was Mary, and the smile on her face was quite dreamy.

"Good evening, luv," Harry said, and Duo barely stopped himself from raising an eyebrow at the profound accent Harry's words were laced with.

"Ooo, a native!" she cheered and grinned, and Harry grinned right back at her.

"Quite right. I'm from Old Surrey. Born and raised," Harry said. "Spent a few years over the Pond. Honesty, I'm surprised the Americans didn't corrupt me."

"We ain't all that bad," Duo drawled. 'Two can play this game, mister,' he thought, and smirked at Harry. Mary snickered, and took out a small notepad.

"What will it be?" she asked.

"I'll have your special with a Greek Salad, and bottled water. And let me guess," Harry interrupted Duo before the braided man had a chance to speak, "my lovely counterpart will have a Double Cheeseburger, double fries and a soda." Harry recited with a smirk, and Duo raised an eyebrow at him. Mary snickered, and wrote down their order.

"Coming right up," she said, and walked away.

"How did you know I'd order that?" Duo asked.

"Yesterday in the cafeteria you bemoaned the fact that they were serving hamburgers instead of cheeseburgers, you ordered fries, and then said that you had soda on Sunday. Then you commented to Sally that you were trying to drink soda every other day instead of every day." Duo raised an eyebrow at that. He thought only Sally heard him, since Wufei and Harry were talking about something else during that time.

He had to admit it.

Harry was good.

"So," Duo said, and braced his elbows on the table. "What did you see today while you went out?"

Harry sighed, and shifted in his seat. He crossed his long legs under the table, and draped his right arm over the backrest of the booth they were sitting in while his left hand rested languidly on his knee. "Nothing much to see actually. I suppose the old graveyard is outside of town. I caught sight of a Library, and two nightclubs. There are mostly family houses in this town, and a few apartment blocks. Regular shops and cafés are strategically placed around the center of the town, and there are two Malls in total here. It's not a big town. One cinema, two museums, a kindergarten, a local college, and school. Should be easy to keep track of any new arrivals."

Duo nodded. "I've called Wufei and told him to send me the files of every Police Officer that works here, in case we need assistance on a later date. I've also – told you _not_ to drive like tha' when I'm with you. _One_ psycho maniac on a bike's enough fer me, _thankyouverymuch_." Duo quickly changed what he wanted to say when Mary came over with their order. His accent changed as well, and Harry chuckled at him.

"I thought I told you it was fine, Max. Like I'd risk killing you," Harry rolled his eyes, and Mary snickered at them.

"You two are so cute," she said, and Duo scoffed.

"I beg to differ," he drawled. " _I'm_ cute. _Evan_ 's a psychopath."

Mary laughed at that, while Harry pouted. "Aw, come on, luv. You don't really mean that, do you?"

"'Course I don't. Ya're not a psychopath. Ya're just insane," Duo said, and threw a fry in his mouth, biting into it with gusto while Harry rolled his eyes, and huffed.

"They _do_ say there is a thin line between love and hate," Harry spoke in a suffering tone.

"And you love to hate me," Duo answered with a grin.

Mary was practically rolling on the floor with laughter, while the rest of the guests started at them with various expressions; most of them looked intrigued, while there were a few that looked somewhat disgusted.

It was strange actually.

Even in this day and age, there were still homophobes walking the Earth.

"You guys are so funny," Mary wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. "Listen, since I know you're new in town, and that can suck, what you say you go out with me and a few of my friends this Friday. I finish up at 10, and we all gather here either way."

"That sounds like a good idea." Harry looked at Duo with a raised eyebrow.

"Hopefully, we'll unpack by Friday," Duo murmured, and Harry nodded. That basically meant that Duo hoped they would have at least _some_ information by Friday to work with. Until then all they could do is check the sights, and try to assimilate with the town populace.

"It's a deal, Mary," Harry said, and accepted a paper slip from Mary.

"That's my number. Message me if you agree to go," she said and left to serve some other guests.

"Now we have our card into the normal society," Harry said, and waved the slip in front of Duo before he put it in the inside pocket of his jacket.

"What is our next course of action?" Duo asked as they dug into their meal.

Harry swallowed before he answered. "Usually, depending on the mission, Remy would check out places where older people gather while I would sniff through bars and clubs."

Duo nodded, and swallowed a bite of his cheeseburger. "This is good," he muttered. "Should we split up then tomorrow?"

Harry shrugged. "I don't know. It worked with Remy because he was older than me. With us? I think we should stick together if we plan to stick to the story."

Duo nodded. "Fine. I say it would be best if we visited the graveyard. I'd like to check it out, and place a few surveillance cameras around."

Harry nodded at that, and took a sip of his water. "Since the profiles of the victims say that there were all under the age of 18, top students and virgins," Harry shivered at that, and Duo frowned, "it would be great if we could infiltrate the local high school."

"I can check out if any teacher needs replacement," Duo offered, "but you'll have to be the one to go in. I can pass by unnoticed most of the time, but placed in such a position, I'd risk the mission too much. I have no doubt that the bad guys will be more careful now that they are close to finishing whatever stupid _ritual_ they're doing, and even though I've changed somewhat, and the image OZ had from me is pretty fuzzy, it could still be found if someone looked hard enough. I don't want to compromise the mission because of a mistake I made almost 10 years ago."

"If you manage to find something that would be great," Harry said. "I was also thinking we should look into this ritual."

"Why?" Duo asked. "You don't actually believe in that shit."

Harry snorted, but Duo frowned when Harry's eyes shadowed. "I've seen some strange _shit_ happen," he murmured, "and I just want to learn as much as I can about it. I heard that the local College has a course about the Occult. I figured I could try and find out what exactly they are trying to do."

Duo hummed and finished his burger. "I _can_ see how that could help us be more prepared," he said. "We could check out the whole town together then try to get you into the local High School. If we manage to do that, we can start investigating this _Ritual_."

"And we should do our best in trying to infiltrate at least a few groups of people. Rumors sometimes help more than raw facts."

Duo nodded. He knew as much.

He was surprised with how comfortable he was with all this. Harry was practically a stranger to him, but _somehow_ he was comfortable enough around him to allow him to tease him, and for him to tease back. He was relaxed around Harry; almost as relaxed as he was with his friends.

"When do you expect Trowa to call in?" Harry asked as he finished his meal, and Duo answered after he ate his last fry.

"Depends. He decided to start with Ipswich because the clues are freshest there. He could call in on Friday, latest on Monday."

Harry nodded, and fished his wallet out of his pocket. "Good. That leaves us enough time to check things out here and get ready for everything." He took out a few bills, and Duo realized that it was enough to cover both of their orders, with a hefty tip.

"I can pay for myself," Duo grumbled, and barely stopped himself from blushing when Harry winked at him and slowly stood up.

"Now, what kind of a boyfriend would I be if I allowed you to pay on our first real date, hm?" he teased in a sultry tone, and Duo choked up on his own spit. Harry smirked, and straightened. "Let's go, luv. I want to try out that new comfy bed."

This time Duo couldn't stop the blush from covering his face. "Ya stupid IDIOT!" he snapped, and Harry grinned at him from where he was holding the door open for Duo. He 'oomph'-ed when Duo slammed his elbow in his ribs as he passed beside him, and saluted Mary who was practically bent over, laughing behind the bar.

"See you on Friday!" he called out, and closed the door.

"They the new guys?" Mary took a deep breath to calm herself and looked at her friend and colleague, Martha.

"Yeah. They are funny. You'll see."

Martha shrugged, and threw her long, curly black hair over her shoulder. "If you say so, May," she said.

"If you didn't figure it out, Marty, they are together. As in _together_ -together."

Martha raised an eyebrow at that, and ever so slowly a grin blossomed on her oval face. "Now _that_ is interesting. They are _hot_."

"Yeah," Mary said, and patted Martha's shoulder. "And what is hotter than two guys?"

Martha threw her a positively evil grin. "Why two hot guys together, of course." And with that said the two friends broke out into laughter, to the horror of their guests.

But it was fine. Most of them were already used to the two waitresses.

After all, this was a small town.

Everyone knew everyone.

"You two are as strange as fuck." One of the guests said, and the two rolled their eyes.

"Oh, stuff it, _Cameron,_ " Martha drawled. "If you have something against them then say so, but don't throw your chauvinistic bullcrap around here." She rolled her eyes and kissed Mary's cheek.

"I'm going into the back to see if my darling husband killed himself already." Mary snorted, and rolled her eyes.

"He'd be lost without you," she said, and it was Martha's turn to snort.

" _Tell_ me about it," she grumbled and disappeared in the back. Mary looked at Cameron, the local football star, and glared at him. The kid flinched, and looked away.

For some reason, Mary couldn't help but feel that the two new guys in town meant something would happen. It was a feeling she couldn't deny, and her feelings were usually never wrong.

More often than not she knew something bad would happen.

She only hoped that maybe this time she was wrong.

Evan and Max were too hot to have something bad happen to them, was her humble opinion.

"Mary! Get your but over here! I need a voice of reason!"

Mary rolled her eyes, and sighed. "Coming!"

**cut**


	7. Curiouser And Curiouser

**cut**

Une cursed under her breath. There was nothing she hated more than a puzzle. That old file bothered her more than anything in the world right now. She scanned the photo, and did her best to fix it. The more she looked at it, the more she thought it was impossible.

She heard about the Grandfather Syndrome, but it was _impossible_ for the genes to be that strong after 300 years. Besides, she could find nothing more if she didn't have any more files on this Harry James Potter who died over 300 years ago in _London_.

She thought that it could be coincidence, but she stopped believing in coincidence a long time ago. Everything happened for a reason.

She cursed again, and opened the restored photo on her computer. She opened Harrison Evans-Potter's file, and clicked on the photo. She stared at the two photos with a frown, her fingers tapping madly against the table.

Equal eyes; _completely_ equal eyes. Lips, nose, chin; everything matched perfectly, except for the fact that Harry James Potter had slightly indrawn cheeks, and his eyes were shadowed with something she couldn't define. Harrison Evans-Potter looked healthier. His eyes showed inner strength and determination.

But when she came down to it, they were completely the same.

Her phone rang and she answered it. "Speak!" she snapped.

 _"Good morning, Une."_ Quatre's voice came over the line, and she breathed a sigh.

"Good morning, Mr. Barton."

_"I wanted to ask if what you've sent Heero and me is all the equipment that was salvaged."_

"I'm sorry to say that it is," she said and sighed. "Is there any chance you would be able to get _any_ information off of it?"

_"Heero and I will do our best. Whatever we'll find, we'll send directly to you."_

"Good. Just protect the data to the best of your abilities. That information is highly classified."

_"Will do."_

"Good. Call in the moment you find something."

 _"As you wish."_ The call ended, and Une all but threw her phone on the table. She looked back at the screen of her computer. She grabbed her phone, and dialed a number.

_"Central, how can we help you?"_

"Connect me to Commander Hawkeye," she bit out tiredly.

_"Right away."_

Une grunted, and sat back in her chair. A few moments later the line came to life.

 _"This is an honor. To hear from you twice in a week? Are the skies falling on us?"_ Hawkeye teased, and Une snorted.

"I've reconstructed the photo from that old file you've sent me, Kirk. To be perfectly honest I don't like what I've found."

_"You've seen it as well then."_

"Yes, I've seen it as well. The resemblance is uncanny. We're either dealing with one epic grandfather syndrome, or this is some major coincidence."

 _"I know, right?"_ Hawkeye snorted, _"Trust me, sometimes I think I would be much happier if I_ _didn't_ _decide to go and clean up Records. I'm telling you. That file has brought me nothing but sleepless nights."_

"What bothers me most is the fact that the statistics in both files are practically the same. Aside from the case of severe malnourishment in Harry James Potter's case and his lack of knowledge when it came to technology, their height, weight, special skills and overall character evaluation mach word for word."

 _"I know. If this was a Si-Fi movie I'd immediately assume time travel,"_ Hawkeye spoke sarcastically, and Une snorted.

"Except this _isn't_ a Si-Fi movie and we are having two guys, one dead, one very much alive, with the alive one being a perfect copy of the first one."

 _"Do you think cloning?"_ Hawkeye asked, and Une snorted again.

"More Si-Fi nonsense?"

_"I'm running out of ideas here, Une. You should have seen Harry after he woke up from the coma. If you think their resemblance is uncanny now, you should have seen him then. I think I have a photo somewhere at home. I can send it to you if you want. I'm telling you; it's the same man. Now, I love Harry like a son, but I have to admit, there is something strange about him. Une, before he became a Special Agent it was as though he was from a different time. At that time I thought it was because of his amnesia, but a year ago, when I found this centuries old file I started having doubts."_

"Well you _are_ known for thinking out of the box," she muttered, and Hawkeye chuckled.

 _"I love that kid, Une. And I'd like nothing else than to bury that file somewhere where it won't be found, but I also know that he would like nothing else than to find out where he came from. He_ _wants_ _to know who he is, and how he came to be here, no matter what he says and does. When he joined the Preventers and started going to missions, he livened up. He has extraordinary leadership skills. He showed them from day one. You may be born with the talent, but that level of skill exists only in someone who actually_ _fought_ _before. I've researched every OZ file, and every file from the Rebellion groups that existed during the wars. I found photos from each division, and every rebel group. He never showed up anywhere. It's like he fell out of thin air."_

"What about the colonies? Did you search there?"

 _"What do you take me for; a rookie? Of course I did. I'm telling you, I spent_ _nights_ _looking over surveillance cameras, birth records, missing person units and all that crap._ _Nothing_ _."_

Une sighed and rubbed her nose under her reading glasses. "I'm running out of ideas here, Kirk."

_"I know, Amanda."_

"What do you suggest?" she asked, and heard him sigh.

 _"I was thinking I should visit London."_ Une frowned at that.

"Why?"

_"The British have a thing for saving historical documents of any kind. I was thinking I should visit the Ministry's Records, and do a little investigation on the Potter family."_

"Do you think they'll have records from over 300 years ago? That's well before colonies."

 _"I'm sure they will. You never know, maybe I'll find something. If nothing else, maybe I'll find a descendant of Harry James Potter. Then we can settle on a_ _serious_ _grandfather syndrome, and make peace with the fact that the family disappeared somewhere in the system after Harry James Potter."_

"Maybe that's our best option," she said, and sighed. "Fine. Call me if you need anything."

 _"Will do,"_ Hawkeye said. _"Before you hang up, I've heard Harry's on a mission in Britain."_

"Yes. He and Special Agent Shinigami are investigating a serial murder case."

Hawkeye chuckled. _"Beast and Shinigami on a mission together. I hope nothing goes wrong, otherwise things could become complicated."_

Une frowned at that. "How do you mean that?"

 _"Why do you think I chose_ _Beast_ _as Harry's code name? Didn't you read his file?"_

"I did, but I didn't go beyond the red tape."

_"Harry is dangerous, Une. He's fine until some lines are crossed, but once someone does that, there's no stopping him. He lives by his own code, and that code doesn't allow a lot of mistakes."_

"Then he and Duo will get along splendidly," Une said. "Duo used to have a code very similar to Harry's. He still lives by it, but I'm afraid that he doesn't have the same view on life Harry seems to have."

_"Just don't let anyone come between Harry and the mission; not even his Partner. His last Partner learned it the hard way."_

Une frowned at that. "What happened?"

_"Let's just say the kid didn't know when to stop and listen to the orders of his superiors. When Harry had enough of him going against orders, he drugged him and left him stranded in a hostel. He finished the mission on his own, and when he came back he said he either wanted his old Partner back or someone capable of obeying orders. We didn't even know what exactly the kid did, but I know that it takes a lot to have Harry blow up. I think you can guess how far he was pushed."_

"I suppose I was right to put him with Duo and the others."

_"More than you could possibly know."_

"Which brings us back to where we started." Une said, and looked at the photos on her monitor. "I can understand why the former Gundam Pilots act the way they do, but as you said, there is no record of Evans-Potter before he was found on the riverbank."

 _"I don't know, Amanda. I'm not sure I_ _want_ _to know either."_

Une frowned at that. "Why?"

_"What if it's something we can't explain? What if Harry's past destroys him? Sometimes it's better to leave the past alone."_

"You're the one who sent the file to me, Hawkeye. And you said that he wants to know, no matter what he says."

_"Wouldn't you?"_

"What?"

_"Wouldn't you want to know? Wouldn't you want to find out where you came from; who you are?"_

"I would."

_"And what if there was a chance that knowledge would destroy you? What if you found out that you were a completely different person?"_

Une frowned at that. "I don't know. We have all done things we don't want to remember."

_"You're preaching to a choir."_

Une snorted. "So. Should we proceed?" she asked, and heard him sigh.

 _"I think we should. We can always destroy all data if we won't like what we'll find,"_ he concluded, and Une hummed.

"I only have one more question. You never told me why _exactly_ you concern yourself so much with this. It couldn't be pure curiosity and good heart."

_"I love that kid like a son, Amanda. I want him to finally find his place in the world."_

Une frowned, but nodded. "Very well. Call me the moment you find something."

 _"Will do."_ The line died, and Une placed her phone on the table. A moment later, she picked it up again.

_"Central?"_

"I need the name of the best genealogist in Britain."

_"Just a moment."_

Une knew she allowed herself to get involved too deep into this. She knew she would not be able to rest until she dug up anything and everything she could on this matter.

She would get to the bottom of this.

Or she would die trying.

**cut**

"Harry? I have a new mail from Trowa," Duo said as he walked into the living room only to find Harry sleeping on the couch.

It was Friday, and by now they practically had eyes and ears everywhere in the city. Come Monday Harry would start working at the local High School as the substitute PE teacher.

They came back from checking out the Graveyard half an hour ago, and Duo noticed almost immediately that there was something wrong with his Partner. Of course, for the last three days they worked nonstop, trying to set up everything so they wouldn't have to worry about unwanted surprises.

Duo thought _he_ was prone to being stubborn, but he found out Harry was just as stubborn (if not even more) as he was. Duo was almost certain that Harry barely slept the past three days, because he triple-checked everything, and while Duo admired that in him (however unwilling he was to admit that out loud) he also didn't want Harry to overdo it.

'You're just as bad as he is; admit it,' whispered a little voice in the back of his head, and it sounded strangely like Quatre. Duo sighed, and was about to leave the living room when he thought he heard a whimper. He turned quickly, and frowned when he saw Harry shift. The man fisted his hands, and frowned in his sleep. He curled into himself, and Duo's frown deepened when Harry started to shiver.

Duo walked over and kneeled beside the couch. "Harry?" he placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. He frowned when he realized Harry was strangely cold. "Harry?!" he shook the man's shoulder, and grabbed his hand, only to flinch back completely.

Harry's skin was ice cold, and it was at least 25°C in the apartment.

"Damn it!" Duo didn't know what was going on. He didn't know what to do. It was as though Harry was freezing in front of him.

He grabbed Harry's shoulder and shook him hard, trying to make him wake up.

"Harry! Damn it, man! Wake up!" with a gasp Harry's eyes snapped open. Within seconds Duo found himself on his back, with a knife at his throat, and two unfocused eyes gazing in his.

"Duo?" Harry gasped as his eyes focused on him.

"Yeah," Duo grunted. He was winded since he didn't expect such a reaction from someone who wasn't an actual soldier.

"I'm sorry. You startled me." Harry pulled back and helped Duo up.

" _I_ startled _you_?" Duo asked and rubbed his throat. "Damn it, man, you were _freezing_ at 25°C! Your skin was…"

"I'm sorry I startled you, Duo!" Harry interrupted him, and Duo frowned. The look in Harry's eyes was one he couldn't classify. "It happens sometimes. Ever since I woke up from that coma, it – it just happens sometimes."

"And you didn't think you should tell me that?!" Duo snapped. "You didn't think I needed to…"

"Damn it, Duo, I didn't know it would happen!" Harry cut him of as he brushed his hands through his hair, breathing as though he ran a marathon, "It happened a few days back! Usually it doesn't happen twice in a month! I didn't know it would happen twice in a week!" Duo recognized the panic in Harry's voice.

Harry took a deep breath and rubbed his face with his hands before he started pacing. Duo frowned when he saw Harry flex his fists. His hands were shaking a bit, and it seemed like Harry's muscles were twitching.

"Alright," Duo took a deep breath, "alright." Harry looked at him and stopped pacing. He rested his right fist on his hip, and brushed his left hand through his hair. "Do you know _why_ it happens?"

"I don't know what triggers it," Harry answered. "I – I just know that – it's like I'm back there." Harry crossed his arms over his chest and a shiver wrecked his body. "I'm back in that darkness, I'm cold, and – and it just keeps growing darker. I can't move, I can't breathe, and it starts getting colder and colder and…" he squeezed his eyes tightly shut, took a seat in the closest armchair, leaned forward and braced his elbows on his knees before he hid his face in his hands.

Duo stood rooted to his place, unable to find any words to say.

"I don't want to go back there," Harry spoke in a whisper, and Duo shivered.

Until this moment Harry seemed like someone who couldn't be moved by anything. For a week Duo saw only efficiency and hard work, and now he was looking at a man who was facing a demon that obviously tortured him for a long time now.

Duo was at a loss.

He honestly didn't know what to do.

"I don't want to go back to that dark place, Duo," Harry murmured. "I don't want that." He looked so lost and alone in that moment, and suddenly Duo knew exactly what to do.

He walked over to Harry, took a seat on the armrest, and placed his right hand on Harry's left shoulder. Harry in some moments reminded Duo of Heero, and Duo knew that Harry didn't need a hug, or useless comforting words. Harry just needed to know he wasn't alone.

A few minutes later Duo felt Harry's shoulders relax under his hand, and he started to breath lighter.

"You won't go back there, Harry. I'll be there to wake you up," Duo comforted, and Harry moved back to look at him over his left shoulder.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you. I hoped you wouldn't need to know that. It's a bit…"

"There's nothing embarrassing about it," Duo cut Harry off firmly. "We all have those stupid little flaws we're ashamed off when we shouldn't be. You lived through god knows what. Maybe _you_ don't remember, but your body does."

Harry snorted, and pushed himself up. He made a few steps forward and brushed his fingers through his hair. "It's stupid. It's been years, and I'm still a wreck every time it happens," he muttered, and looked at his wristwatch. "We should start getting ready. We're supposed to go out with Mary in an hour."

"I can call her and cancel," Duo said, and stood up.

"No," Harry said, and shook his head. "I need to get out and stop thinking about it. If I don't, it might happen again."

Duo nodded. "Then we won't stay long. We both need to be rested."

"Why did you come in the living room either way?" Harry asked, and Duo frowned for a moment.

"Oh!" he muttered. "Trowa sent a report."

Almost immediately, Harry frowned, straightened, and his eyes hardened. "What did he say?"

"He found a few things. He's bringing it into HQ. The forensics will have their work cut out for them."

Harry nodded. "Did you write back?"

"No. I wanted you to read the report first before I answer."

"Alright," Harry said. "If you want you can have a shower while I read the report. I'll be quick with it, and write a short answer. You can fill it up if you have anything more to say."

"Good. I'll be quick," Duo said, and left the room. Once he was out, and Harry heard the shower start running, he took a seat again, and took a deep breath.

He closed his eyes, and leaned back in his chair. Not a moment later, he could feel the cold setting in and thousands of voices started whispering in his mind. He opened his eyes quickly, and a shiver passed down his body. He looked at his fisted hands, and swallowed over the bile that gathered in his throat.

"Damn it!" he hissed, "Damn it all to hell!"

**cut**

"Aren't you looking hot!" Mary called over to Harry and Duo when they got out of Duo's car.

She looked very pretty in her black summer-dress. Two more girls were with her. Duo and Harry remembered one of them from the diner, and the other made both of them inwardly cringe. She looked pretty enough, but she was eyeing them, especially Duo, somewhat lecherously.

"Evan! Looking sharp!" Mary grinned and Harry smirked at her. He really did look pretty good in his skin tight black jeans, and sleeveless black turtleneck.

Duo looked even better. He too decided to wear tight jeans, but he opted for a burgundy button up shirt, with top two buttons undone, and his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His hair was in his trademark braid, but this time it was a bit loose, so a few strands fell out of it to dance around his handsome face.

"You look absolutely ravishing, May," Harry complimented and Mary rolled her eyes.

"You Brits and your nicknames," she muttered, and one of the girls behind her snorted.

"You have no idea," Duo muttered, and Harry shot him a glance with his left eyebrow raised.

"Really now. I didn't know you had a problem with nicknames. And besides, you Americans have the same tendency," Harry drawled.

"I dun remember _ever_ shortenin' yer name, _Evan_."

"Because there's nothing to shorten," Harry concluded as he shrugged his shoulders.

"And there is in Mary?" Duo drawled.

"Of course." Harry smirked, with his head held high.

"As cute as this it, I'd like you to meet my two friends, and then we are going to _party,_ " Mary said, and turned to look at the two girls behind her. "Evan, Max, I'd like you to meet Martha Brighton and Lea Brighton."

"Sisters?" Duo asked, as he shook hands with the two girls.

"Coincidence," Martha said as shook hands with Duo. "My maiden name is Petrov."

"You're married?" Harry asked, and Martha smiled at him, while Lea rolled her eyes.

"Course she is. She is the _only_ one in our group that got married already," she said.

"I am also the oldest in our group," Martha said, and Lea and Mary rolled their eyes.

"By two years only," Mary drawled.

"Enough to make you two fetch me a pack of cigarettes," Martha teased, making Harry and Duo exchange a smirk.

"So!" Harry casually threw his right arm over Duo's shoulders, making the (only slightly) shorter man roll his eyes. "Where are you taking us?"

"There's a club two blocks away where we always go. They have good music, cheep drinks, and a _lot_ of hot hunks," Mary said, and started to lead the way.

"Doesn't your husband mind you going there, Marty?" Harry asked, and Martha rolled her eyes.

"He's out with his two friends. I don't give a flying _fuck_ what he thinks about me going out with Mary and Lea, because he damn well knows I know where he's going with Vince and James." Harry snickered and Duo grinned.

"What 'bout you two?" Duo asked, and looked at Mary and Lea.

"As free as birds!" Mary grinned, "This is it," she said, just as they stopped in front of a back door in some little alley.

"This is a back door, May," Harry stated dully, and Mary rolled her eyes.

"I know that, smart-ass. We know the owner," Mary winked at them and opened the door. Duo and Harry were immediately overwhelmed by loud music.

"Going?" Lea asked and winked at them. Harry and Duo exchanged a glance, took deep breaths, and followed after the three. They were left wide-eyed when they came out of a hallway and stopped beside the bar. Their eyes immediately fell upon the dance podium where an unknown number of people danced and moved almost as one to the beat.

"Ain't it great?" Lea called out, "Come on, Duo! Dance with me!" she grabbed Duo's hand and pulled him towards the podium.

"I'd be careful if I were you!" Martha shouted over the music to Harry, "Lea is not known as one able to take a hint!"

Harry raised an eyebrow at that and nodded. "We'll go get our drinks and then we'll go and find a place to sit! I'll take care of Lea once we're done with that!" Mary and Martha exchanged a glance, and smirked. Both noticed a strange gleam in Harry's eyes. All the way to the bar, his eyes were on Duo, who looked uncomfortable dancing with Lea who seemed to be in her element.

"What will it be, Evan?!" Mary called out to him.

"I'll have a Vodka Martini! Max will have a Bloody Mary!" Harry called over to her, and she nodded.

"You don't worry about him?" Martha asked him, leaning close as to make it easier for him to hear her.

"He knows who he belongs to." Harry said, and Martha raised an eyebrow at him when his eyes darkened with something she couldn't describe.

"I can see a table fit for us!" Mary called over to them, and the two followed after her. The bartender brought their drinks, and winked at Harry.

"Hello, handsome! I didn't see you here before!" he leered, and Harry raised an eyebrow at him.

"New it town!" he answered, and the tall, dirty blond man grinned.

"If you want I could show you the sights a bit!"

'This one works fast,' Harry thought cynically, but on the outside he gave the man a slight grin, making Mary and Martha raise eyebrows at him.

"I don't think you could keep up with me, kid!" Harry said. The bartender blushed to the roots of his short hair, snorted and walked away.

"You sure know how to shake them off!" Martha called out to him. Harry looked at her and smirked.

"I know who I belong to!" he stated and slowly stood up. He winked at them, and started to move towards the dancing crowd. The two friends shared a glance before they turned to observe.

It seemed the crowd moved almost instinctively to clear his path towards Duo. Once he found Duo and Lea, he stopped behind Duo, wrapped his arm around Duo's waist, and pulled him flush against his body.

Harry felt Duo tens up and _knew_ his eyes widened without needing to see it. Harry's eyes met Lea's over Duo's right shoulder and he smirked at her when he saw her gape in shock. She blushed heavily and moved away, scurrying over to Mary and Martha. "Having fun?!" he called out as he took Duo's right hand in his, spun him around only to flatten their bodies together again. He took a firm hold of Duo's waist with his hands and leveled his lips with Duo's left ear.

Duo choked up when he felt Harry's strong body against his, and almost whined. There was no denying that Harry was very handsome, had a strong, muscled body, and - _boy_ could he dance. There was also no point denying that Duo hadn't allowed himself to hold or be held in a while. Feeling Harry this close brought that fact up pretty quickly. He frowned when he felt the periodic tightening of Harry's hand on his waist.

*Status.*

Duo took a deep breath, and moved even closer to Harry, wrapping his arms around Harry's shoulders, and reminding himself that this was a mission, and that they had appearances to uphold. For some strange reason that thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.

*Uncomfortable.* He signaled back to Harry, squeezing his right shoulder in quick succession. He _felt_ Harry chuckling, since their bodies were flushed together. Harry bowed his head, and hid his face in Duo's neck.

It looked as though he was kissing Duo.

*Relax. Enjoy.*

Duo barely suppressed the shiver that wanted to shake his body at the feel of Harry's warm breath against his neck and ear. He frowned and growled. This may be just a mission, and Harry _may_ be more experienced when it came to playing the masses, but damn it Duo wasn't a slacker either.

'Two can play this game, mister,' Duo thought, smirked, and the game was on.

At first Harry tensed up when Duo got even closer, his left leg between Harry's, and Harry's own leg between Duo's.

They moved together to the beat, completely unaware that almost everyone moved away from them, and that many were looking at them with lust-filled eyes.

"It's almost as if they are made for each other!" Mary called out, with a smirk aimed at a pouting Lea.

"You should have told me they were together!" Lea snapped at her while Martha snickered.

"I thought it was obvious," she said, and Lea glared at her.

"You _know_ I don't do obvious!"

Mary and Martha laughed.

Duo swallowed a groan when Harry's hand ghosted over his thigh, and their lower bodies met in a painfully slow thrust.

'Finally!' Duo thought as the song ended. He was about to dart off, but Harry grabbed his hand and stooped him.

*Slow.*

Duo barely stopped himself from punching the man. If anything Harry looked unconcerned and untouched by anything. He seemed perfectly fine, while Duo had to use every single piece of his self control not to spontaneously combust.

Harry led Duo over to their table, and took a seat beside him. He threw his right arm casually around Duo's shoulders, smirking at all the looks they were receiving.

"If you're going to do that every time we come here, tell me to bring a box of tissues!" Mary shouted. "I think you've broken quite a few hearts!"

"I think they did more than that, May!" Martha shouted over to her. "I've seen porn movies with less actual _porn_!"

Duo couldn't stop the blush that covered his face while Harry let go of that belly laugh Duo heard only once in the past week, and it was because Harry's old partner sent him a mail.

"I think _everyone_ knows you're together now!" Lea was still pouting, but seemed to be less offended than before.

"I think that was the point, Lea!" Mary shouted over to her, and everyone laughed.

Duo was still a bit uncomfortable. In a way he thought he made a mistake by upping the game that way. It seemed Harry didn't mind it, but Harry was (obviously) used to pretending he was in a relationship for the sake of missions.

And _that,_ for some reason, left a very, _very_ bitter taste in Duo's mouth.

"You alright?" Harry asked him.

"Just a bit tired! We had a rough day today!" Duo said. Harry's eyes shone with worry, and he looked in Duo's eyes.

'The perfect attentive boyfriend,' Duo thought, surprising himself with how bitter his inner voice sounded. 'What the hell is wrong with me?'

"Max?!" he focused on Harry, and his heart skipped a little when Harry's worried gaze dove into his. "I asked you if you wanted to go home?!"

Duo looked at Mary and Martha who were smirking at him a little. "Don't you want to stay?!"

"We can always join them next time! Right?!" Harry asked, and the three girls nodded enthusiastically.

"'Course! Have a safe trip! This one's on us!" Mary said, and Harry grinned at her. "Get some rest, Max! Don't let Evan keep you awake for long!"

Duo forced a smile on his face, while Harry grinned at them.

"He'll rest plenty!" he called out as he pulled Duo out of the booth. They waved at Mary, Martha and Lea, and made their way out of the club with Harry leading the way. Duo raised an eyebrow when he noticed that people seemingly instinctively moved out of Harry's way; something he didn't notice earlier.

They got out, and the silence of the night washed over them right away.

"Let's go," Harry spoke, and started to walk back to where Duo parked his car.

Duo felt like he should say something.

He _really_ felt like he should say something.

The problem?

For the first time in his _life_ he actually _didn't know what to say_.

He was always, _always_ the one with something to say.

He _always_ had an answer to _everything_.

And now, _now_ of all times, he had no idea what to say to Harry.

"Do you feel like driving or should I?"

Duo jumped in his place and looked at Harry. His emerald eyes shone with worry, and his lips were slightly down-turned. That was genuine worry on his face.

'Or is he that good of an actor?' Duo thought. 'But there's no one to act for.'

"Duo?"

Duo barely stopped himself from flinching back, when Harry appeared standing closer than he remembered. "I'm fine!" he blurted out, "I'll drive. Let's go." He quickly dug out his keys from his back pocket, unlocked the car, and got it. Harry followed at a slower pace and they made their way back. The 15 minute ride was spent in silence. Once they were in their apartment, Duo walked into the bedroom without a word.

Harry winced and brushed his fingers through his hair. He sighed after a few moments, and followed after Duo. He found the American already changing his clothes, and a pang of something warm spread through his body before Duo pulled on his sleeping pants, and an old t-shirt. "Duo?" said man turned to look at Harry who was leaning on the doorframe with his arms crossed over his chest.

"Yes?" Duo asked, and Harry sighed.

"Look. I'm sorry if I crossed any boundaries tonight. It's just – I got used to this sort of thing with Remy. I've fallen into old habits, and if I've offended you with it, I want you to know that I'm really sorry."

Duo actually stared at Harry almost shocked during his whole apology. He (again) found himself speechless. "It's okay." Or not. 'Where did that come from?' he thought to himself. "Just, gimme a bit of a warning next time, kay?" Duo hit his head into a proverbial wall. 'Where did _that_ come from?! He just said it's just part of a mission! You retarded _idiot_!' he thought, but Harry was smiling, and it was neither a teasing smirk nor a sly grin; it was an honest to heart smile.

"Alright," Harry said, and pushed away from the doorframe. "Get some sleep, Duo. I'll see you in the morning."

"Yeah. See ya," Duo said and Harry closed the door behind himself.

Duo frowned when he was left alone.

Something was wrong with him.

Something was _definitely_ wrong with him.

And he knew just _what_ that _something_ was, and the name of his problem was Harry Evans-Potter.

That man was trouble.

He still didn't know just _what_ _kind_ of trouble, but that much he could say.

He had time to figure out everything else.

Or so he thought.

**cut**


	8. The Queen Of Hearts

**cut**

"GOD, I hate children!"

Duo raised his head when Harry's pissed off voice reached his ears, and their apartment shook with the force Harry closed the door with. Duo stood up from his table and walked into the hallway where Harry was toeing off his shoes.

"Little, hormonal, stupid, brainless…"

"Had a nice day?" Duo asked with a grin and Harry glared at him. He snorted, muttered something into his chin and passed beside Duo on his way to the kitchen.

Duo couldn't help up grin. He followed after Harry and found the man at the stove, already boiling some water.

Duo realized Harry was quite an Englishman. He preferred tea to anything else, and if there was anything that could calm him it would be a cup of good old Earl Gray.

"Were they that bad?" Duo asked and took a seat at the table. Harry sighed and rubbed his face with his hands.

"I had four classes today," Harry said and prepared a cup. "70% of students are young girls; young _hormonal_ girls. 30% of students are boys who are equally hormonal. Some of them are openly gay."

Duo barely suppressed another grin. "Let me guess," he snickered just as Harry took a seat with his cup of tea in hands. "They are all in love with you."

Harry groaned and sneered. He took a sip of his tea and Duo chuckled when Harry's shoulders instantly relaxed. He closed his eyes, slipped lower in his chair, threw his head back, and let go of a low, guttural moan which made Duo shiver involuntarily.

"5 girls already made an attempt to talk to me, 3 actually tried to _hug_ me, and 2 boys actually _tried to grope me_ in class. What _is_ it with kids these days?" Harry muttered and raised his head to look tiredly at Duo who snorted and shrugged.

"I wouldn't know. I never officially went to high school so I don't know how _normal_ teenagers act."

Harry snorted. "If that's normal teenage behavior then I'm glad I don't remember myself as a teenager," he muttered and took another sip of his tea.

Duo nodded with a strange gleam in his eyes. Harry raised an eyebrow when he found himself target of a searching gaze. Duo's violet eyes were filled with wonder and questions, and Harry frowned.

"What is it?" he asked and Duo hummed and twitched as though he drifted off in his thoughts.

"What?" he asked distractedly.

"You were looking at me strangely," Harry said with a frown and Duo raised an eyebrow at him.

"How strangely?"

"I don't know." Harry's frown deepened. "Like you were analyzing me."

Duo hummed and shrugged. "You're a strange man, that's all," he stated, and it was Harry's turn to look at Duo with a raised eyebrow.

"How strange?" Duo shrugged.

"You have no memory of who you were. You seem like you've appeared from thin air, and yet you're not trying to find out who you were. Its like…"

"Like I'm afraid of finding out who I was?" Harry finished for Duo. To his surprise, Duo blushed and looked away.

"Yes."

Harry sighed and looked at his cup. Duo looked back at him, studying Harry's darkened eyes, the shadows on his face, the way he held the cup with his left hand and almost lazily dragged the index finger of his right hand along the edge of the cup.

"Maybe I am," Harry whispered and snapped Duo out of his thoughts.

"Maybe you're what?"

Harry looked at him from under messy bangs. "Maybe I _am_ afraid of who I was before. Maybe the reason I can't remember what happened is because I don't _want_ to remember."

"Selective amnesia," Duo muttered and Harry snorted, "but why-"

"We all have things we want to forget, Duo," Harry said in a deep, dark voice. "We all have demons we want to run away from. We all have skeletons in our closets." His voice faded as he looked to the side, and Duo frowned deeply.

Harry spoke the truth.

Maybe, just maybe, there was something in his past that was so horrible that Harry's mind erased it completely.

"Anyway," Harry straightened, and Duo looked at him in surprise, "what did you do today?" he asked, and Duo wondered how Harry didn't get a whiplash from the quick mood-swing.

"What?" he asked in confusion and Harry chuckled.

"What were you doing while I was facing the monsters of tomorrow?"

"I…" Duo hesitated as he tried to gather his wits, "I was talking with the guys. Heero and Quatre are working on the equipment Wufei and I carried on our last mission."

"Your last mission?" Harry asked and took a seat.

"Yeah. The mission we had in old Scotland."

"I heard about that one," Harry said and placed his cup on the table. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. "I thought all your equipment was destroyed."

"If anyone can dig out the information that's still somewhere in that equipment it would be Heero and Quatre. They can salvage _everything,_ " Duo said with a grin. It waned slightly when he saw a flash of something dark pass over Harry's eyes.

"I thought you found nothing," he murmured and Duo frowned.

"We wrote that in the official report. Fact is that not one of us can _remember_ if we found anything or not."

Harry hummed and stood up. He finished his tea and moved for the sink. "Anything else come up?"

"Trowa sent what he found in Ipswich to the Forensics. He moved on to Builth Wells yesterday."

"Did he find anything else in Ipswich?" Harry asked as he washed and polished the cup before he put it away.

"Yes. He found traces of burnt bones," Duo said and Harry frowned.

"Burnt bones?" he muttered and Duo nodded. Harry leaned back against a cabinet and crossed his arms over his chest. He looked at the ground and Duo could almost see the wheels turning in Harry's head. "This keeps getting worse and worse," he muttered.

"Trowa said the forensics should have the results by the end of the week," Duo said and Harry nodded.

"We need to get to the bottom of this as quickly as possible. The next Sickle Moon is in 18 days."

Duo frowned. "I know it was only your first day, but did you find anything?" Duo asked and Harry sighed. He rubbed the bridge of his nose with his fingers and shrugged.

"There is a bunch of girls that fit the victim profile in the four groups I had today. I'm afraid that I don't have my job cut out for me this time."

"This isn't an easy mission, Harry," Duo said, and Harry looked at him. "We can only try our best."

"I don't want to _try_ anything, Duo," Harry pressed out through his teeth and Duo tensed up. "12 girls were killed already. I want to find those sons of bitches and I want to kill them. I want to make them suffer for taking 12 innocent lives."

"Harry…"

"You didn't see them, Duo!" Harry snapped and hit his fist against the cabinet he was leaning against. "You weren't there to see them. You just saw the pictures."

"I know, Harry, and I want to catch them as much as you do!" Duo snapped and they looked in each other's eyes as heavy silence settled between them. "We _will_ catch them, I promise."

Harry swallowed difficultly and nodded. "I'm going to take a shower. Do you have anything planned for today?"

Duo sighed and brushed his right hand through his bangs before he dragged it over his face. "I tried to find anything on that Occult course on the local college. There are a few books listed that the students need to read, but I think we should go there and talk with the professor directly."

Harry nodded. "Should I go alone?"

"I'll go with you." Duo said and Harry nodded.

"Give me half an hour," Harry murmured and left the kitchen, and Duo sighed once Harry was gone.

It's been 6 days.

6 days since he and Harry entered this apartment and started this insane mission, and Duo was still nowhere _near_ figuring out his new partner.

Harry was a walking, talking mystery. At first sight he seems like a well balanced, perfectly normal man with no problems what-so-ever, but in the past days Duo caught a sight of a strange darkness in Harry.

Darkness he saw in his closest friends.

Darkness he saw in himself.

Harry was good at handling it; he was very good.

But there were moments when Harry thought he was alone when his eyes would turn strange. There were moments when Duo would stand in the doorway of the living room, watching as Harry stood by the window. Two days ago, he caught Harry's lips moving in a low whisper. He couldn't discern what Harry was whispering, but for a moment Duo thought he saw Harry's breath turn misty.

He quickly dismissed that thought.

It was just his mind playing tricks on him.

But there was one thing he couldn't dismiss; one thing he couldn't deny.

There was something dark around Harry, and Duo knew that he wouldn't be able to rest until he found out what it was.

He sighed and walked out of the kitchen. He passed beside the living room and stopped in his tracks. The door was ajar. He moved closer and pushed the door slightly more open. He frowned when he found Harry with his back turned to the door. He was standing by the window with his shirt hanging limply from his left hand. With his right he was holding the curtains apart, and Duo frowned when he saw little goose-bumps spread down Harry's back without an obvious reason.

His frown deepened when Harry started to mutter something, and unconsciously, Duo stopped breathing.

"Somehow you strayed and lost your way, and now there'll be no time to play. No time for joy, no time for friends - not even time to make amends. You are too naïve if you do believe life is innocent laughter and fun." (1) Harry stopped and Duo almost made his presence known when Harry let go of a grunt of pain. His shirt met the ground and he leaned forward with his right hand over his heart as the curtains swayed closed. Duo quietly left. He started breathing again when he was in his room.

For some reason he was shivering.

_Somehow you strayed and lost your way, and now there'll be no time to play. No time for joy, no time for friends - not even time to make amends. You are too naïve if you do believe life is innocent laughter and fun._

That little poem sounded familiar.

It also sounded strangely foreboding.

He tensed up when he heard Harry pass beside his room on his way to the bathroom.

'I have to figure him out,' he thought. 'There's something strange about him. I need to figure him out.' He took a seat at his computer before he realized what his was doing. He stopped and frowned when he realized his hands were above the keyboard and that he was well on his way to typing the poem into the search engine.

"What am I doing?" he muttered. He and Harry weren't even friends. They were merely partners.

Sure, Harry seemed like a good guy - a good guy with a shitload of worries on his back, and if Duo chose to be completely honest with himself, he would admit he actually felt attracted to the dark haired Special Agent; _if_ he were to be perfectly honest with himself.

Okay.

Admitting his attraction was not the problem here.

The problem was that Harry was a mystery, and if there was anything that made Duo uncomfortable it was a mystery.

 _'A mystery stops being a mystery once you solve it.'_ Quatre's words from several years back rang through Duo's mind, and he frowned.

He swallowed and took a deep breath. Not really sure of what he was doing he pressed enter.

He leaned closer to the screen. His lips parted in a confused frown.

"Alice in Wonderland? He was quoting a fairytale?" he muttered.

For all it was worth Duo didn't know what the book was about. With little thought he found the whole edition of the story and downloaded it.

He almost jumped out of his seat when Harry knocked on his door.

"I'm ready when you are," Harry called out and Duo heard him walk down the hallway. Duo quickly shut down his computer. He changed into a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt and rushed out of his room.

"Ready." He said as he entered the living room. He barely stopped himself from raising an eyebrow when Harry smiled at him as though he wasn't all depressed and gloomy just 10 minutes ago.

"Great. You take your car and I'll go with my bike, alright?" Harry asked as he pulled on his jacket.

"Sure," Duo muttered, and Harry's smile grew. "Harry?"

"What?"

"Are you - are you okay?" Duo hesitated and Harry tilted his head to the right a bit.

"I'm fine, why?" Duo shook his head and sighed.

"Nothing. Forget about it."

"Duo…"

"Let's go," Duo cut him off and hurried out of the living room. He knew Harry followed after him. Once Duo was in his car, he looked at Harry as the man climbed his bike. He saluted Duo before he drove off and Duo followed after him.

'I hate mysteries,' he thought. "I hate them."

**cut**

"Hello, how can I help you?"

Duo rolled his eyes when Harry grinned at the young woman they stopped to ask for directions. She blushed heavily, and threw a small glance at Duo.

"We were wondering if you could direct us to the Occult classes here," Harry said and the young woman hummed.

"You need professor Brighton?" she asked, and Duo and Harry exchanged a confused glance.

" _Martha_ Brighton? She teaches that class?" Harry asked, and the girl nodded.

"Yes. I took it last semester. She's a great professor."

"We know Martha," Duo said, "we just didn't know she was teaching here."

"We didn't know she was teaching. Period," Harry muttered, and Duo rolled his eyes.

"Could you take us to her?" he asked, and the girl nodded.

"Follow me." The two exchanged a glance before following her, and Duo took a step closer and pushed his right hand into Harry's left.

*What will we do? She will want to know why we're asking about the occult.* He squeezed Harry's hand in quick succession, hoping Harry understood it.

*The truth.* Harry answered and Duo nodded.

*Can we trust her?* Harry looked at Duo and winked. He let go of Duo's hand when the girl stopped in front of a door and turned to look at them.

"She should be here."

"Thank you, miss," Harry said with a grin. The girl blushed, nodded, and ran off.

"Are college students really _that_ timid?" Harry said.

"She's one of the rare few." Both turned around quickly when Martha's voice surprised them. She raised an eyebrow at them before a smile covered her face. "Are you two stalking me?"

"Course not," Harry grinned and Duo shook his head.

"We just needed a _professional_ opinion on something and came here looking for the professor that taught the Occult class."

She raised an eyebrow at that.

"We didn't know we would find _you_ here. We thought you worked at the diner," Harry said and Martha shrugged.

"I own it and my husband works there. I jump in occasionally," she said. "What would you need professional opinion on?" Her eyebrows met the line of her hair when the two turned serious all of a sudden and looked around.

"Maybe we should take this to your office," Harry suggested, and Martha frowned when he took her left elbow in his right hand gently, and led her in. Duo followed them, closed the door, and started checking the room for cameras.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked.

"Give us a second," Harry said. He moved over to the windows and, standing so no one would see him from the outside, pulled the drapes together. Martha frowned when Duo unplugged the telephone, and checked it over. He then unplugged the computer, while Harry pulled two chairs over to Martha's table.

"Guys, not to sound pissy, but…"

"Take a seat, please," Harry cut her off when Duo nodded at him. Martha did as she was told. She observed them carefully as they took seats in front of her. Her eyes widened when they took out their wallets and showed her their Preventers badges.

"You're…"

"Special Agents. At your service." Harry said, lips tilted in a small, calming smile.

"What are you doing here?" she asked with a frown, and Duo and Harry exchanged pointed glances

"The less you know the better," Duo said, "but like we said, we need professional opinion and help. We're working on a case and we're short on time."

"Why would you need help from someone who studied the occult?" Martha asked and leaned forward with her arms crossed on top of the desk. She knew next to nothing, but there were two Special Agents in front of her and they were asking for her help.

"The case we're working on looks like some sort of a ritual," Harry said and Martha frowned.

"I'll need more than that, you know. There are many sorts of rituals; some I don't even mention in class. If I'm to help you, you need to give me as much as you can."

"We don't want to put you in unnecessary danger," Duo said.

"And I can't help you if I don't know what you're dealing with," Martha countered. Both she and Duo looked at Harry when he chuckled.

"She's right about that one."

"She'd be in danger," Duo growled.

"We need help on this one, Partner."

"We don't even know how many we're facing. They could be observing us already."

"And they could still be in hiding."

"What if they…"

"I hate to interrupt, but I'm afraid Evan's right," Martha said and the two looked at her. "Is your name even Evan?" she added as an afterthought and Harry grinned at that. "Right," she muttered and rolled her eyes, "the less I know the better."

"Right," Harry winked at her while Duo snorted.

"I still don't think…"

"Martha's right," Harry cut Duo off, and Duo looked at him, "we won't get anywhere on our own." He looked deep in Duo's eyes, and few moments later Duo sighed and shook his head.

"Fine," he muttered. "We're working on a case that screams ritualistic murder," he said and looked at Martha. She frowned and looked at her table.

"Do you have a map?" Harry asked and Martha nodded. She stood up and walked over to a cabinet. She came back and spread the map over her table.

Harry stood up and pulled a marker out of his back pocket. "So far we've had four multiple murders." He leaned over the map while Duo leaned back in his chair and started looking around while Harry explained everything to Martha. "Every time the ritual would include three virgins inside a pentagram and black candles. The rituals were done on the first night of the Sickle Moon, and the girls were murdered exactly at midnight." Martha nodded.

Duo stood up and started to walk around the office, looking at all the different books.

"The rituals were done in Old Yowl, Old Brighton, Builth Wells and Ipswich," Harry said and marked each town on the map before he connected the dots.

Martha gasped and Duo turned to look at her. Harry frowned and raised his head to look at Martha.

"What?" he asked. "Do you recognize the ritual?"

"No," Martha muttered as she traced the pentagram with her fingers, "but I can tell you that whatever they are trying to do isn't going to be nice." She stood up, straightened and walked around the table. She walked beside Duo and over to a shelf. She picked out several old dusty books while she muttered something into her chin.

"It looks like you have at least an idea where to start," Duo said, and Martha snorted.

She placed the books on the table and Duo walked over to stand beside Harry. "Like I said, there are many Rituals, but what you're describing isn't something I teach. What I teach is all about myths and legends. What _you're_ asking is actual Magic."

"Magic?" Duo asked and frowned when Harry tensed up.

"Yes. Magic," Martha stated. "It's not like I actually _believe_ that Magic is real, but while I was studying for my mastery, I found something _very_ interesting."

Out of the 10 books she had on her table, she found one and offered it to them. Duo looked at Harry when the man tensed up beside him and reached for the book.

"I had problems reading it," Martha said. "Most of it was destroyed."

Harry took a seat and passed with his hand over the ridge of the book.

"How old are these books?" Duo asked.

"I had them tested. Most of them are close to 1500 years old."

Duo's eyebrows met the line of his hair. "No wonder they are in this sorry state," he muttered.

"Where did you find this?" Harry asked. His fingers traced the brown, time worn leather.

"I got it from an old man who collected such things while he was young. It was well before the wars. He said that these books were found in the attic of his great-grandfather's house while they were cleaning it up. He was interested in them because of the stories his grandfather told him when he was little."

"Is that man still alive?" Harry asked and looked at her.

"Yap. He celebrated his 93rd birthday eight months ago."

Harry nodded. "What's his name?"

"Jeremy," Martha said. "Jeremy Lovegood-Longbottom. His family is one of those old families that can be traced to long before the colonies. His great-grandfather's name is written in those books."

Duo watched in confusion as Harry opened the book with all the gentleness in the world. His partner was pale, his muscles were twitching, and his hands were shaking.

Harry squinted and passed over a faintly written name in the upper right corner of the book. "Neville Longbottom," he muttered.

"HARRY!" Duo snapped when the man hissed and bent forward, his right hand flying to his forehead. The book fell out of Harry's hands and he fell off the chair and onto his knees. His hands were fisted in his hair and he was biting into his bottom lip as pained grunts escaped him.

"What's wrong with him?" Martha snapped as she rounded her table and kneeled beside Harry, copying Duo who was kneeling to his right.

"I don't know," Duo hissed. He grabbed Harry's wrists and cursed when he felt the coldness of Harry's skin. "Damn it, not again," he muttered. "Harry?! Harry, snap out of it!" Martha was too overtaken by panic to ask about the name. "Harry!"

With a sharp intake of breath Harry's eyes snapped open, and Martha and Duo jumped away as if struck by lightning.

Duo's heart stopped when he looked in Harry's eyes. For a moment it looked as though they were glowing fluorescent green, and an image of glowing emerald eyes flashed in Duo's mind.

"Duo..." Harry gasped out. Before either Duo or Martha could do anything, Harry was on his feet and out of the office.

"Harry!" Duo snapped and ran after him, only to stop when Martha grabbed his hand.

"I don't know what's going on, but he doesn't strike me as a man who likes to have other see him as weak," she said, and Duo frowned at her. She barely knew Harry, and yet she came to that conclusion.

"I can't let him run off in that condition," Duo growled and Martha frowned at him.

"If I understand correctly you're partners. Trust him to know his limits. Now, you came to me for help. I'm going to give you these books. If you get stuck somewhere, call me. I'll do what I can to help you."

For a few moments Duo just stood there breathing while thousands of thoughts ran through his mind.

All of this was making less and less sense.

"Fine," he grunted after a few moments. Martha nodded and bowed down to pick up the book. She placed it on the table while Duo gathered them in a pile.

"I'll help you carry them," she offered and Duo nodded. They walked over to his car in silence, and once they placed them in the trunk Duo turned to look at her.

"Thanks," he muttered and Martha nodded at him. "I hope you know…"

"I know nothing," she jumped in. "Two guys came to my office because they were interested in the Occult and they heard I had a few good books they could read. I borrowed them a few books and that's all."

Duo raised an eyebrow and Martha scoffed. "I'm not an idiot, _Max_. If you're here undercover it means you don't want any attention drawn to you. I watch enough action movies."

Duo snorted at that. "I'll come by the diner sometime this week," he said and she nodded.

"Take care of Evan, will you?" she said just as Duo was about to enter his car. "He strikes me as someone who passed through Hell and came out on top. You don't seem all that different either. You're good for each other." Duo raised an eyebrow at that and Martha snorted. "Just…" she sighed, "just don't push him too hard. Heavens know that never worked for anyone."

Duo snorted and nodded. "I'll see you later," he said, and she smiled at him. Once he hit the road, he took his cell phone and pressed speed dial.

 _"Duo? Is there something wrong?"_ Quatre's concerned voice came over the line and Duo took a deep breath.

"How are you coming along with that equipment?" Duo asked.

 _"Not all that well. Why? Did something happen?"_ Duo swallowed and focused on the road.

Should he tell Quatre everything?

He had no idea what was going on - his memory of that mission was faulty at best - and yet something snapped in his mind when he looked in Harry's eyes.

_"Duo?"_

"I have a bit of a dilemma here, Quat," Duo said. He could almost see the frown that covered Quatre's pretty face.

 _"Tell me,"_ he said and Duo took a deep breath. He told Quatre everything - every detail he could remember ever since he and Harry arrived to Nottingham and up until what happened half an hour ago.

Once he was done, he was a few blocks away from the apartment block he and Harry were residing in, and Quatre was quiet.

"What should I do, Q-bean?" Duo asked as he stopped at the red light.

 _"Leave him be,"_ Quatre said and Duo sighed. _"I know you don't like the sound of that, Duo, but listen. Whatever it was, it could have triggered Harry's memory. He'll come to you when and if he's ready. We've all read his file, Duo. You know everything you need to know about him."_

"I dun know everythin' I _want_ to know, Quat," Duo grumbled as he took a turn to the parking lot. "Damn it. His bike's not here," Duo hissed as he parked his car.

_"Maybe he went to cool off. Listen, don't do anything rash. You and I both know he's a good man, and a good agent."_

"I dun know, Quatre," Duo muttered and rested his head back on the headrest of his seat.

_"There's something you're not telling me."_

Duo sighed and rubbed his face with his hands. "Just then, when he opened his eyes," Duo muttered, "they _shone_ , Quatre. The _actually shone_."

_"It could have been light reflecting in his eyes. If he was in pain, tears would have gathered in his eyes. Don't look too much into it, Duo."_

"I just- It was like- like I've remembered _something_ , Q-bean!" Duo snapped. "I've _seen_ such eyes before."

_"Trowa's eyes are similar to his, Duo. You might have remembered Trowa's eyes in the light of the cockpit of his Gundam."_

"The shape doesn't match up," Duo said and Quatre sighed.

 _"I'm running out of explanations here, Duo."_ Said man snorted and hit the back of his head against the headrest.

"Maybe I'm going insane," Duo muttered.

 _"Look, Duo. Whatever this is we'll get through this together. We all have our demons; Harry is not an exception. When and if he's ready he'll open up. Just give him time."_ Duo sighed and nodded.

"Alright. Call me the moment you figure things out, kay?"

_"No problem. I'll hear you later."_

"Greet everyone for me. Bye." Duo ended the call and sighed. "Damn it all," he muttered and got out of the car. He gathered the books from the trunk and made his way into the apartment. He was about to unlock the door when the book on top of the pile started to fall. "DAMN!" in his attempts to catch it, Duo tripped and started to fall. He grunted, waiting for his body to hit the ground.

But it never happened.

"You gotta be a bit more careful, luv."

Duo opened his eyes and his breath hitched in his throat. He was in the arms of a tall handsome man. He was quite buff, and his eyes were a stunning icy blue. His skin was lightly tanned, and his short brown hair fell into his eyes.

"I'll try," Duo stuttered out and the man grinned at him charmingly. He helped Duo up and immediately bowed down to pick up the books that lied around.

"Ya 'ave quite a collection here," he said, and Duo hummed.

"They are my boyfriend's," he blurted out.

"Aw. Should 'ave known ya were taken," he grumbled and Duo raised an eyebrow at him. "I'm Derek, by tha way." He offered his free hand to Duo.

"Max," Duo said and shook the man's hand. He had quite a grip. Duo yelped when the man moved closer, their difference in height making Derek need to bow down to look in Duo's eyes.

"Ya 'ave pretty eyes, _Max,_ " he smirked, and Duo blushed despite himself.

"Thanks," he muttered and quickly gathered the books that were still on the ground. He turned around, quickly unlocked the apartment and walked in, aware that Derek was following him.

"Are ya new 'ere as well?" Derek asked while he looked around. His eyes fell on the pillow and blanket on the couch Harry left lying.

"Yes. Evan and I moved in last week," Duo said.

"Evan's yer boyfriend?"

"Yeah." Duo said and turned around to look at Derek. The man placed the half of books he picked up on the tea table and grinned at Duo.

"I moved in with my brothers today. We're two doors ta tha left from ya."

Duo nodded and rubbed his hands against his thighs. "Good. That's nice," Duo said, not knowing what to say.

Derek chuckled and looked around. "Yer boy workin'?"

"No. He's – ah – he went out-…"

"Ah," Derek said knowingly, "trouble in paradise?"

Duo raised an eyebrow at him. "You could – You could say that," Duo murmured and looked around. "I – Thank you for helping me. That fall could have hurt."

Derek let go of a booming, loud laugh. It made Duo flinch.

Harry had a booming laugh as well, but it was somehow comfortable. It was a happy laugh. Derek's sounded somehow … _wrong_.

"I kno' 'ow ya could thank me fer real," Derek drawled and Duo frowned. "My brothers are out shoppin' an' I 'ave no coffee. I could _kill_ fer a cup." That sentence made Duo burst into laughter. He shook his head finally relaxing a bit. He gathered Harry's pillow and blanket and nodded his head towards the couch.

"Take a seat. I'll make us some coffee in a minute," he said and carried Harry's things into his room.

'Relax, Duo. He's just a bit loud an' assertive. Ya were similar to him not so long ago. He's just a kid lookin' for some company while his brothers come back,' Duo thought while he prepared coffee. He heard footsteps and turned around to smile at Derek when he entered the kitchen. "I'll be done in a second."

Derek smiled and took a seat at the table. "There's no hurry, Max," he said and grinned.

Duo's shoulders relaxed a bit and he smiled. "Right. No hurry at all."

**cut**

**Earlier**

**cut**

"Damn it, _damn it,_ DAMN IT!" Harry roared as he sped down the road. He drove recklessly, breaking every speed limit out there, but he didn't care. His thoughts were running miles per minute, his blood was singing in his ears and his heart was beating so fast he feared it would fly out of his chest.

"Damn it all to Hell!"

He stopped, practically letting his bike fall, and ran into the forest. He tore his helmet off of his head and threw it to the side. He ran, and ran, and ran as fast as his legs could carry him. Tears were stinging his eyes to the point where he could hardly see. His mind was overtaken by voices, flashes of light, and thousands of emotions.

'Make it stop!' he squeezed his eyes tightly shut.

'Make it stop!' light flashed behind his closed eyes.

'MAKE IT STOP!' he tripped and fell, rolling down a hillside.

Once he stopped he lied on his back. His breathing was quick and short. He couldn't get enough air into his lungs. His muscles twitched and burned, his mind was buzzing, and tears trailed down his cheeks in quick succession.

With slight difficulties he rolled onto his side and pulled in on himself. "Make it stop," he gasped. Ever so slowly everything started to calm down. The Earth was vibrating beneath him. The voices started to grow quiet, and the cold he hardly noticed before started to dissipate as well.

His heart calmed down, and his breathing started to even out.

With the returning calm, he finally started feeling the pain of his fall. He could count a few cuts and bruises, and he guessed his left wrist was sprained, but he knew nothing was broken. The knowledge that everything would hurt worse in the morning didn't comfort him either.

"Damn it all to hell," he muttered and squeezed his eyes tightly shut.

'Why can't I remember?' he thought. The sky darkened above him slowly. 'Why can't I remember what happened? Why can't I remember anything?' he opened his eyes as a few drops of cold rain touched his face. A downpour started and his heart started to ache.

'Everything changed.'

He rolled onto his back and spread his hands to the sides.

'Everything; except me,' he thought bitterly, and a sardonic smile tilted his lips. 'I'm still here. The last one. But why can't I remember?' tears mixed with rain on his face and his breath came out in silvery puffs. 'I don't have much time. I don't…' he raised his right hand slowly to the sky. The rain washed away the mud and blood. His clothes were soaked, and he was cold, but he didn't care.

'Duo…' he thought and his eyes filled with sadness. 'I thought – I thought if I went back - I thought if I made a life for myself in your world – I thought I might be able to save the both of us.' He swallowed over the lump of pain that appeared in his throat. 'It seems I can't. It seems that – it seems…'

"I won't be able to save the both of us," he muttered brokenly. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"At least I'll save you, Duo." He opened his eyes. Sparks of new determination started to glow in his emerald depths. "Please." He whispered and looked at the sky. "Whoever listens - give me enough time. Before he finds out, before my time runs out, please let me at least save Duo."

Thunder cracked the sky.

_Tick. Tock. Goes the Clock._

"Before I go back to that Darkness. Please. Give me time to help him."

_And what now shall we play?_

He closed his eyes as the verses played in his mind over and over again.

_Tick. Tock. Goes the Clock._   
_Now summer's gone away._

He swallowed and opened his eyes. Ever slowly he stood up and made his way back.

Before time runs out, at least he'll make sure Duo would be fine.

He'll make sure of that.

_Tick. Tock. Goes the Clock._   
_We laughed at fate and mourned her._   
_Tick. Tock. Goes the Clock._   
_No rest for the Savior._

_Tick. Tock. Goes the Clock._   
_And all the years they fly._   
_Tick. Tock. And all too soon_   
_You will surely Die._

**cut**

Duo stopped laughing at the joke Derek said and looked at the window. He frowned when he saw the heavy rain that was falling.

"Max?" Derek called out when Duo stood up to walk over to the window. "Is everything alright?"

"It's been a while," Duo muttered. "Evan should have come home already."

Derek hummed. Both jumped in their places when they heard a key turn and Duo ran into the hallway. "Evan?!" he yelped in shock when he got a good look at Harry. "Christ! What happened?!" he rushed over to help Harry into the living room, and Derek stood up.

"Gee, man! Did ya catch the plates of the truck tha' hit ya?"

"Derek, there's a first aid box under the sink in the kitchen. Would you please?" Duo asked and Derek rushed out while Duo helped Harry take a seat. "Harry, what happened?" Duo asked quietly while Harry looked at the doorway.

"Fell of the bike," Harry muttered, "but that doesn't matter. Who is he?" he looked in Duo's eyes, and Duo frowned at Harry's tone. It wasn't one he was used to hearing from Harry.

"A new neighbor," Duo muttered and concentrated on checking Harry for serious injuries. "Are you in any major pain? Anything broken?" he asked just as Derek came back with the first aid kit.

"Bumped and bruised. I think my left wrist is sprained, but it's nothing," Harry said, and Duo rolled his eyes.

"I _knew_ this would happen," he muttered. "The way you ride that death trap..."

"I'd hate ta see tha state o' tha bike," Derek muttered and tensed up when he found himself under careful observation of those soulful, emerald eyes.

"Not a scratch," Harry said and looked at Duo. The braided man was kneeling in front of him, already cleaning the cuts on his hands.

"What were ya thinkin', damn it?" Duo muttered, "I _told_ ya ta be careful!" Harry hissed when Duo pressed on a cut a bit too hard. "Sorry." Duo continued a bit more carefully.

"No. I'm sorry. I should have been more careful."

Duo snorted. "Now _that's_ an understatement," he muttered and looked up at Harry from under his bangs.

Harry chuckled and shrugged.

"I'll just go now." Derek said, and Duo and Harry stood up.

"Thanks for keeping me company," Duo thanked and Derek grinned at him while Harry took a step forward. He offered his right hand to Derek who took it. Harry frowned when he felt a strange feeling creep up his arm. His frown deepened when he saw something dark flash over Derek's eyes.

"Pleasure meetin' ya, Evan. Ya should take care of ya boyfriend over there. He's a real gem."

"I know," Harry stated darkly. "See you around." A nerve twitched beside Harry's right eye when Derek strengthened the grip he had on his hand.

"See you around," Derek said, let go of Harry's hand, and winked at Duo. "I'll see m'self out. Take care o' Reckless 'ere." He clapped Duo's shoulder in passing and left.

"See ya," Duo said. Once they heard the door close, Duo turned to look at Harry.

"What was that?" he asked. Harry turned his back on him and walked over to a cupboard. He took out his sleeping pants and an old t-shirt without answering Duo's question.

"Harry…"

"You should stay away from him," Harry grumbled while he dug around the drawers for a pair of socks.

"What?" Duo bit out.

Harry sighed and turned around to face Duo. "That guy isn't – I don't know – He just doesn't feel _right,_ " Harry pressed out through his teeth.

"He's just a kid!" Duo snapped and Harry sighed again.

"Just – Just stay away from him," he asked tiredly and made his way towards the door.

"Don't walk out on me!" Duo snapped and grabbed Harry's right elbow in his left hand. He ignored the hiss of pain for the moment and tried to look in Harry's eyes. "Must I remind you that we're _partners_ , that we're on a _mission_ , and that you can't tell me what I can or can't do, or who I can or can't see?!"

"He's trouble, Duo!" Harry snapped and ripped his arm from Duo's grip. "Are you _that_ taken by his looks that you can't see that there's something wrong about him?!"

"He's just a damn kid that moved in with his brothers!"

"He's not a kid, damn it! He's at least 25 years old! Isn't it strange to you that he moves in with his supposed brothers _just_ at the time we're working on a case?!"

Duo frowned and moved back a little. "I didn't…"

"You didn't think, right!" Harry cut him off, "For all your intelligence and experience, did you even _think_ of asking him _why_ he moved here? From all the towns in the world he moves in _here_!"

"Maybe it's just coincidence!" Duo snapped. A voice in the back of his head was telling him that Harry might be right, but there was another voice, a much louder, stronger voice that was telling him to oppose Harry in every way possible.

He wasn't a damn idiot!

"I don't believe in coincidence, Duo!"

"Well I do!" Duo snapped. "An' I dun wanna believe tha' every nice guy I meet is either a potential killer or some other sort o' psycho!"

Harry growled, and Duo frowned when it seemed like Harry's eyes flashed again. "I wouldn't mind anyone else, damn it! He just doesn't feel right!"

"Well I didn't get that impression! _He_ at least dun seem like 'e has an army of frickin' demons on his conscience!"

"Fine!" Harry snapped. "You can go and _fuck_ him for all I care!" he marched out of the living room.

Those words made Duo snap out of whatever was going on with him and he rushed after Harry. "I didn't treat your…"

"I can do it myself!" Harry bit out and slammed the door of the bathroom closed so hard the apartment shook. Duo stood in the doorway in a bewildered state.

He didn't know what happened right then.

Did he just fight with Harry, his _p_ _artner_ , over some _kid_?

Did he just fight with Harry over some guy like they were in a relationship?

Was Harry actually _jealous_?

Duo gulped and looked at the closed door of the bathroom.

He could hear the shower running.

'Do I actually _like_ Harry?' at that thought Duo tensed up. Without knowing what he was doing he ran into his room, closed the door and leaned against them in shock.

'Where did _that_ come from?' he thought in panic and started pacing his room.

Sure, Harry _was_ handsome, and smart, and strong, and he seemed to have much the same problems Duo and the others had.

It's like Duo found someone who could actually _understand_ most of what he and the others went through. Harry already proved that he could get along with the others.

Could Quatre actually be right?

Could there actually be something _more_ between Harry and him?

 _'_ _Whatever it could have been you've successfully destroyed it with that show tonight,'_ a little voice in the back of his head said, and it sounded strangely like a petulant Quatre.

Duo let go of a hysterical snort. "Great," he muttered, "I have Gemini on my shoulder, and he sounds like _Quatre_ ," he hissed. He didn't know what to do. He knew he acted irrational. That wasn't even how he would usually behave. Usually he would instantly suspect something was strange about Derek, and he'd immediately put him under 'Suspect'.

'Maybe I'm just tired,' he thought. 'It wasn't a good day.' He took a deep breath and took a seat on his bed.

He tensed up when he heard the door of the bathroom open. He could hear it when Harry hesitated in front of his door, and if he were to be perfectly honest, a part of him wanted Harry to come in.

When Harry walked away, Duo let go of the breath he was unconsciously holding.

It would seem he would need to make the first step.

After all, Harry was just telling him what he thought was right at the moment, and he wasn't wrong to do so. Harry had almost the same experiences Duo had, and he was good at reading people.

At least that's what Duo picked up from Harry.

He really _was_ good.

It seemed Harry knew exactly what the person thought and needed at any given moment at first glance.

Duo sighed and snorted.

He hated being wrong, but he wasn't a coward.

He wasn't afraid of admitting he was wrong.

He took a deep breath and stood up.

Duo decided to go and make some tea for himself and Harry, and then he would go and apologize. He nodded and made his way out of the room. He was about to pass the living room when he heard a pained hiss come from the other side.

"Bloody hell," he heard Harry mutter. Deciding to forgo the tea, he knocked on Harry's door. He heard a tired sigh come from Harry.

"Come in," Harry called out tiredly and Duo opened the door.

"Do you need help?" he asked when he saw the open first aid kit and Harry trying to reach a nasty cut on his lower back.

"At this point?" Harry muttered, and Duo knew it was the best he would get at the moment. He walked over and took a seat behind Harry. The raven haired man shifted a bit and Duo got a first good look at Harry's well defined back. He started tending the different cuts, when he noticed the scars.

"That's a lot of scars," he muttered, and Harry spared him a glance over his left shoulder.

"Pity I don't remember where I got them," Harry murmured and Duo frowned. There were a lot of thin scars zigzagging across Harry's back. It looked like they came from a belt buckle. Lower on Harry's back were 5 parallel scars that seemed to be pretty deep. There was a scar from a stab wound just under the line of Harry's ribs on his right, and on the back of his neck was another strange scar. It looked like someone bit him, and it looked like whoever did that took a good piece of muscle with it.

"They are all from before?" Duo asked and Harry nodded.

"This one isn't," Harry muttered and turned slightly so that Duo could see his front. Duo gulped when he looked at Harry's muscled torso, and his mouth watered at the dusty line of hair that led from Harry's navel to under the line of his pants. He focused quickly on a scar from a gunshot wound dangerously close to Harry's heart.

"That could have killed you," Duo muttered and impulsively reached up with his left hand to trace the scar. He almost pulled back when he felt Harry shiver, but since the man didn't complain in any other way, Duo decided to _test the waters,_ so to say.

"Two millimeters to the left and it would have," Harry muttered and Duo dared to throw a glance at Harry through his bangs before he looked back at his torso.

"What about this one?" he asked and touched a scar on Harry's collarbone.

"Car accident from when I first started working for the Preventers. The team leader was driving and I was trying to contact our Handler. We were under barrage. We fell down a cliff and the metal fence broke through the windshield. He died on spot. I got off with the mother of all concussions, a broken knee cap and a broken collarbone."

Duo hummed. He traced his fingers down to trace a pretty big scar just above Harry's hip bone. He felt a warm shiver travel down his body when he saw a trail of goose-bumps appear where his fingers passed. "And this?"

"Shrapnel," Harry spoke in a strange, deep voice and Duo swallowed with slight difficulties. Harry was warm. He was so warm, and he smelled of pine and freshly cut grass. "My partner and I were hiding behind a metal wall when a bomb went off on the floor on the other side. We were both lucky."

Duo swallowed and looked up at Harry. Emerald eyes were dilated and his hands were fisted on his thighs as though he was holding himself back.

Duo let go of a breath and steeled his resolve. "I'm sorry for how I reacted earlier," he said. "I don't know what came over me."

Harry shrugged and looked away. "We're spending practically every waking moment together, and the day wasn't actually the best day in my life. One of us was bound to snap sooner or later. I should apologize as well. I have no right to tell you what to do," Harry spoke, his eyes focused on the armrest of the couch.

"Harry?" Duo called out and ever so slowly, Harry looked at him. "We're partners, right?" Duo asked and something in him jumped when he saw a shadow pass over Harry's eyes.

"We are."

"We should be able to trust each other, right?"

"Yes."

Duo nodded. He gulped and moved back a little. He barely suppressed a grin when Harry's whole body twitched as though he wanted to stop Duo from moving away. "We already know we can work together pretty well," Duo continued and Harry nodded. "I think I can say that we _like_ each other."

'Where did _that_ come from?!' Duo thought in panic, but his mind came to a stop when a sad smile tilted Harry's lips.

"You're a great man, Duo," he spoke in a strained voice. "You're a great Agent, a great partner, and a really good guy."

'Why does he sound so sad?' Duo thought. He frowned when Harry looked away and snorted.

"I'm a bit tired, Duo," Harry murmured tiredly and stood up. "First what happen with Martha and then the fall; they both took a lot out of me."

Duo felt like he could scream. He felt like words were on the tip of his tongue, but he just couldn't force himself to say them. "Do you want to sleep on the bed tonight? I won't mind taking the couch."

'That was NOT what I wanted to say!' Duo thought frantically, while Harry chuckled and shook his head. He looked at Duo with eyes so full of fondness that the braided man felt like he could scream. 'What was I about to say?! Why couldn't I say it?!'

"No need," Harry said. "The couch is comfortable enough. I'll go get my things." He left the room, leaving Duo alone.

"Damn it!" Duo hissed and hit the back of the couch with his right fist. 'What was it?! What did I want to say?! What stopped me?!'

In that moment Harry came back, and Duo jumped to his feet. "Harry, I…"

"Go get some rest, Duo," Harry said and passed beside Duo with his head bowed so that Duo couldn't look into his eyes.

"Harry, listen…"

"Don't. I understand. Let's just – let's just get this mission over with, okay?" Harry fixed the couch so that he could go to sleep, and Duo swallowed the bitterness he felt rising in his throat with a nod.

"Alright," he murmured. "Good night."

"Good night," Harry answered as he lied down with his back turned to Duo.

Duo fisted his hands tightly and got out of the room. Without even bothering to take a shower, he took off his clothes and all but threw himself into his bed.

"Damn it," he cursed and buried his face into his pillow. "DAMN IT!"

**cut**

_Tick. Tock. Goes the Clock.  
And what now shall we play?_

_His heart beat quickly in his chest. It was cold and everything was so bright. The verses echoed around him ominously as he ran through endless ice and snow._

_"Hello? Someone! Anyone!" he shouted as he ran and ran. The melody echoed and repeated itself constantly, and underlying those verses were thousands,_ _millions_ _of voices._

 _Tick. Tock. Goes the Clock._ _  
__Now summer's gone away?_

_"Duo?!" he turned on his heel when he heard the frantic, familiar call._

_"Harry!" he cried out and started to run in the direction from where Harry's voice came._

_"Duo, run!" Harry's voice was filled with terror and Duo's heart skipped a beat. "You're not supposed to be here! RUN!"_

_"HARRY!"_

_Tick. Tock. Goes the Clock._ _**  
**_ _And all the years they fly._

_The cold became almost unbearable, but he kept on running. Breathing was becoming a problem. His limbs ached, but he kept on running. Something was telling him that he needed to find Harry._

_He needed to find him as quickly as possible._

_"Harry! Where are you?!" he yelled, turning around himself, trying to find anything that would give away Harry's location._

_"Get out of here! DUO!" Harry's scream made a shiver of fear run down his spine and Duo's breath hitched in his throat._

_Tick. Tock. And all too soon_ _  
__you and I must die._

_The verses were becoming louder and louder, and with each passing moment they sounded more sinister and dark._

_A scream of incredible pain reached Duo's ears and he ran again._

_"HARRY!"_

_Tick. Tock. Goes the Clock._ **  
**_We laughed at fate and mourned her._

_All of a sudden, with a chilling wave of incredible power everything went black._

_The verses were the only thing he could hear._

_Over, and over, and over again, they repeated themselves in the darkness._

_Duo couldn't breathe. It felt like his lungs were freezing._

_*We thought you could save him.*_

_"Who was that?!" he whispered brokenly. He fell on his knees, trying to breathe, but a huge pressure was building up on his back._

_*We thought you would See him.*_

_Duo wanted to say something, but all he could do was cough as his lungs filled with lead. "Harry," he gasped out and slowly raised his head._

_Tick. Tock. Goes the Clock._   
_No rest for the Savior._

_Duo's heart clenched and tears stung his eyes._

_"No." He pressed out through clenched teeth. "Harry!"_

_*You should have been able to save him! You should have been able to See him! Just like he could See you!*_

_"Harry!"_

_Tick. Tock. Goes the Clock._   
_How the time flies by._

_"No!" he started pushing himself up. Whatever this was - whatever sick_ _dream_ _this was - he wouldn't give up. He would find Harry. He would save him._

_"DUO!"_

_He raised his head up and his breath hitched in his throat. He was standing in that cave again, but this time it was all different. The Ice was sprayed with blood, and inside the Ice was Harry._

_Harry, whose skin was a deathly shade of pale._

_Harry, whose perfect lips were smeared with blood._

_Harry, whose beautiful eyes were dead._

_Tick. Tock. Goes the Clock._   
_He will surely die._

_"HARRY!"_

**cut**

Quatre woke up with a start and jumped into a sitting position.

"Finally. I thought I'd have to use emergency methods," Heero smirked and Quatre snorted.

"I hope those methods don't include ice cold water," he muttered and followed Heero over to where they set up base, so to say.

Heero's work room was turned into a regular Military Research Base. There were papers and computer parts everywhere, dozens of wires lay about on the floor, and the mission equipment Duo, Wufei and the three Rookies carried with them over a month ago, was attached to the main computer Heero and Quatre managed to make.

"I was thinking more along a pot and a spoon." Quatre chuckled and Heero smirked. "On the other hand, we finally found something."

Quatre was instantly awake and sitting in his chair. Heero joined him and immediately started clicking away on the keyboard.

"Finally. I started thinking we'd need to recreate the Gundam technology," Quatre muttered and Heero hummed.

"This is the footage from Wufei's neckline micro-camera," Heero explained. "The footage isn't the best, but I think we'll get something once the computer clears the disturbance." Quatre nodded and they focused on the footage.

 _"A bad feeling?"_ Wufei's static filled voice came from the speakers, and Heero and Quatre leaned closer. They could see Duo from Wufei's perspective, and the braided man seemed to be annoyed.

 _"More like expectation,"_ Duo said. _"I'm constantly jumpy an' I can't get a moment's rest. It's like-like someone's constantly watchin' me, an' I_ _know_ _there's no one. I feel like I'll go nuts."_ The sound coming from the speakers was full of static, but the two could understand everything. _"Maybe I just need a damn break."_ Heero and Quatre exchanged a glance. How often did they think that every time they would think of Duo?

 _"Did you talk with Une about taking a vacation?"_ they snorted when Wufei voiced their thoughts.

_"Ya really think she'd let her best field Agent take a vacation?"_

"Yeah right," Quatre said and Heero shushed him when they lost Duo from sight.

 _"WUFEI!"_ they saw Duo's hand reaching for Wufei and for a few moments all they could see were flailing limbs.

 _"This will hurt in tha mornin',"_ Duo's static filled voice grumbled and he came into sight when Wufei stood up.

 _"You think we'll be able to climb up?"_ Wufei asked and Duo hummed.

 _"It'll take a li'l effort, but yeah; we can make it ta tha top."_ Duo said and turned around. Behind the snow that disturbed the picture, Quatre and Heero could discern the look of complete wonder on Duo's face.

_"Well, fuck me silly."_

They heard Wufei snort. _"Maxwell, I don't think you should be…"_

"What in the name of all that is holy?" Quatre whispered when through Wufei's camera they saw a huge ice wall that seemed to be pulsating with blue light.

 _"Fuck me."_ Wufei muttered and he moved closer. Heero and Quatre leaned towards the screen when they noticed a blurry shape behind the ice.

_"Maxwell-"_

Duo came into the picture, moving closer to the ice wall. _"Hush."_

There was something strange about the Death Scythe Pilot. Duo stopped a foot in front of the wall. He slowly raised his hand. There seemed to be a layer of perspiration on the ice wall and Wufei slowly walked over. Ever so slowly Duo placed his right hand on it.

 _"It's warm,"_ Duo spoke so quietly Heero and Quatre hardly understood him. He passed with his hand over the wall, wiping away the perspiration and the two gaped.

"Impossible." Heero's voice overlapped with Wufei's shocked, static distorted voice. Behind the wall of ice was a man. He seemed to be floating in the air. His clothes and shoulder long hair floated around his muscled body. His oval face was creamy white and raven black lashes rested on his cheeks. He looked as though he was sleeping.

"Heero?" Quatre's voice was wavering, and Heero looked at him for a second. "Does that man – doesn't he seem familiar?"

Heero swallowed difficultly.

The image started wavering. They were nearing the end of the footage.

 _"Am I really seeing this?"_ Wufei muttered.

 _"He's beautiful."_ Duo whispered. Wufei must have turned to face Duo completely since Quatre and Heero could now see the look of complete wonder on Duo's face. The footage turned worse when everything seemed to start shaking.

_"What the fu-"_

_"We have to get out of here!"_ Wufei snapped.

Duo first looked at Wufei and then back at the man trapped behind the wall. Wufei turned towards the ice wall again when another pulse, stronger than the last one shook the cave, and then happened something that made Heero and Quatre hold their breaths. With another pulse the man's eyes snapped open. Two orbs of clear emerald looked at them and his cupid bow lips tilted into a small smile.

 _"Thank you."_ In that moment the footage ended, and Heero and Quatre let go of the breaths they were holding.

"Call Une," Heero muttered. "She needs to see this." Quatre nodded and grabbed his phone from his pocket. "She definitely needs to see this."

**cut**

(1) Belongs to Lewis Carrol; Alice in Wonderland; I claim no rights to this.  
(2) Borrowed from Doctor Who; slightly altered to fit the story; I claim no rights to this.

**cut**


	9. Off With His Head!!!!

**cut**

Duo frowned and leaned forward. He was looking over the data Trowa sent him. The Full Moon was closing in on them.

9 days.

They had 9 days to figure out what was going on and stop any more innocent girls from dying a gruesome death.

Harry was in the room next door doing something or another.

Their relationship was strained at best.

While Harry tried to act normal, his shoulders were almost constantly tense. He was constantly looking over his shoulder and his eyes were always dark.

Duo didn't tell him he knew, but Harry seemed to be plagued by nightmares.

Every night Duo would wake up to get some water from the kitchen, and he would find Harry trashing on the couch in the throes of a nightmare.

Duo couldn't understand what Harry was muttering, but he seemed tormented by something.

Harry looked more and more tired every day.

There were dark circles under Harry's eyes, and even though he told Duo that the job at the school was tiring him because the children were difficult, Duo knew it was only a part of Harry's problems.

Harry was reading the books Martha gave them as though they were made out of gold. For some reason he believed the complete answer to this case was in those books.

Duo didn't dare ask questions.

For the first time in his life he actually didn't dare ask something.

Harry was killing himself with this, and Duo had to be honest and say that he didn't like it.

He didn't like it at all.

He didn't know when or how Harry managed to build himself a place in Duo's heart. They didn't even know each other all that long or all that much, but _somehow_ Harry became someone important to Duo. Maybe even _too_ important.

Another problem was that Harry closed off so much that Duo didn't know how to approach that subject with him. He thought Harry cared about him at least somewhat. No one could act so well if there weren't _some_ emotions behind it all.

Duo wanted to know. He wanted to know if there was a chance for him and Harry. He wanted to know if their relationship would grow someday or if he should just bury it all deep and do his best to forget about it.

Harry was handsome. He was strong. What was best, he seemed to be just as _damaged_ by something as Duo and his friends were. He seemed to have the same Demons they had and Duo couldn't simply let it go.

He wanted to help Harry. He wanted to see Harry get better just like Heero, Wufei, Trowa, Quatre and he got better.

He wanted Harry to know the peace they all got to know.

But Duo knew that for as long as Harry refused to open up to anyone that wouldn't be possible.

'And I thought _Heero_ was a tough nut to crack.' Duo thought and frowned.

The results Trowa sent him worried him. The Forensics were too short on time to determine anything correctly, but as much as they could gather the bones were old; _very_ old. Like _long-before-the-colonies_ old. The fact that they were burned to dust meant little to the science of today.

Duo sighed and brushed his fingers through his hair, "I can't believe this." He grumbled and made his way out of the room.

"Yes. I'll keep my eyes open. Thank you for informing me." Duo frowned when Harry's voice reached his ears. He entered the living room without knocking and found Harry beside the window. Harry brushed his left hand through his short hair and sighed before he threw the phone on the couch.

"What happened?" Duo asked.

"It started already," Harry grumbled and threw himself on the couch, hitting his head back against the armrest and bending his knees as he covered his face with his crossed arms, and Duo saw his lips tighten into a thin line.

"What?"

"2 girls were already kidnapped and one missing person report has just been handed in. The Headmistress of the High School just called me."

"Do they fit the profile?" Duo asked and Harry nodded under his arms.

"Yes." He didn't need to say anything else. "I applied to that school to stop this from happening. I can't…"

"You couldn't have stopped it, Harry. There are hundreds of students there. You couldn't have met them all in less than two weeks and protect them. We need to pack up and go to the cemetery.

"No use," Harry muttered and Duo frowned at him. "They won't hold them there. The risk of someone finding them is too big."

"If we start a city wide search…"

"We'd attract too much attention," Harry cut him off.

"What _can_ we do?" Duo asked and Harry sighed. He took a seat sharply and looked at the open books in front of himself.

"I need more books," he grumbled and Duo raised an eyebrow at him.

"You found something in there?" he asked and Harry started flipping through the closest book on the table.

"Yeah," he murmured, "and I don't like what I've found."

Duo snorted as he walked over. He took a seat to Harry's left, and raised an eyebrow when Harry tensed up. "What is it?"

"It doesn't seem like the ritual I've found in this book, but it _does_ have several meeting points," Harry said and stopped at a page. The picture on the left side was gruesome. It showed 12 bodies hanging from a ceiling with ropes around their necks, and a pentagram beneath their feet, painted with blood. There were 5 candles around the pentagram and another one in the middle and a man clad in black robes stood behind a big cauldron in the back of the captured scene.

"Now this just looks sick," Duo murmured with a disgusted expression on his face.

"It's Necromancy," Harry said and passed with his right index finger over the strange letters on the right page. "It's _supposed_ to be _sick_."

"Necromancy?" Duo asked. "You mean like…"

"Whoever they are, they are dabbling into something that's been considered not only evil, but forbidden since before the Dark Ages," Harry interrupted him.

"Can you read this?" Duo asked and Harry snorted.

"It's Ancient Greek," he grumbled. "And _yes_ , I can read it." Duo raised an eyebrow at him and Harry blushed a bit. "What?" he muttered.

"Nothing, just…" Duo started and a small smile tilted his lips. "You're actually quite amazing."

Harry looked at the book to hide the blush that slowly blossomed on his face. "I won't read it all to you. All you need to know is that this is a highly dark ritual. According to what this says it's _'forbidden since the beginning of the Time, frowned upon by not only Wizards of the Light, but by the Wizards of the Dark, for it in itself is not only a sign of Evil, but the very Child of all the is Evil,'_ " he spoke as he traced one line at the bottom of the page.

"So they are trying to raise someone from the grave," Duo concluded and Harry snorted.

"Not just _someone_ , Duo," Harry muttered. "They are trying to raise the Source of All Evil."

Duo frowned. "Could have figured," he murmured and Harry raised an eyebrow at him. "Think. It's actually so stupid and so cliché that it makes me want to puke. The Full Moon, brunt bones, Pentagram and three virgins on each sight. The first two count 6 victims, the other two count six victims…"

"That explains why three girls were already taken." Harry murmured. "They need 12 for the last part of the ritual."

"666." Duo said. "The Black candles."

"And it all started on the sixth Sickle Moon, of the sixth day of the sixth month of the year."

"It's all in the sign. These morons must have planned it for ages," Duo murmured and Harry nodded his head.

" _Or_ they are working under the orders of someone who planned it a long time ago," Harry added and slammed the book closed. "We need to find them." He stood up and started to pace. "We need to find them before they manage to finish this."

"Harry, I want to stop this as much as you do. I don't want any more girls to be hurt, but how do you plan to find them? And you don't actually believe they can _raise the dead_."

"Do you want to test it?" Harry asked when he stopped pacing and looked in Duo's eyes. There was something in Harry's eyes that Duo couldn't quite place. He couldn't recognize it.

It wasn't fear.

It wasn't hatred.

It wasn't anything Duo has ever seen.

"I don't," Duo murmured and Harry nodded, "not that I believe in Magic, but…"

"Trust me, Duo," Harry cut him off. Duo frowned and stood up when Harry's eyes shadowed and he looked down. "Human Will is powerful enough _without_ Magic. And whether this ritual works or not," he looked in Duo's eyes and the braided man shivered, "I don't want them to get any closer to completing it than they already are."

Duo gulped and nodded.

Harry was right.

With or without the possibility that this Ritual might bring forth the Source of All Evil, they had to stop them.

And stop them they would.

**cut**

"Have you been seeing Derek anymore?" Harry asked while they were having dinner he made.

"He came by a few times for coffee in the morning, yes," Duo said, feeling as though he had to justify himself and wondering _why_. It's not like they're dating!

Harry nodded and Duo sighed.

"Look, Harry. I know you don't like him…"

"I hardly know him; I can't _like him_ or _not like him,_ " Harry cut him off and sighed before he let go of his fork and knife, braced his elbows on the table and rubbed his face with his hands. "I just – I have a bad feeling about him. That time I saw him I felt _uneasy_. Like I had to be on guard."

Duo frowned. "He _is_ overly energetic and quite assertive, but to be perfectly honest I hadn't noticed anything _too_ strange about him. He can talk about a lot of things. Seems very educated."

Harry snorted, crossed his arms on the table behind his plate and smiled at Duo. "You like him, don't you?"

"No!" Duo cried out and wrinkled his nose, " _God_ , no," he shivered. "He's not my type." Harry chuckled at that and shook his head. "Besides, he's more interested in _you_ than me."

Harry raised an eyebrow at that. "Why would he be interested in me?" Harry asked and Duo shrugged.

"Don't know. He's just been asking me a lot about you."

Harry frowned at that. "Like what?" he asked and Duo frowned at him. "What kind of questions, Duo?" Harry asked.

"Like where you went to school, your interests, where you work, how we met, do you really love me." At that Duo blushed and Harry raised an eyebrow. "I had to improvise dozens of things so that the story would be believable."

Harry hummed and got up from the table. He took his plate and washed it before he dried it and placed it in its proper place. "Did you meet his brothers?" he asked, and Duo washed his own plate while Harry started making coffee for them both.

For some reason Duo suddenly felt so _at home_ that he shivered.

Uninvited, a little fantasy came to his mind about him and Harry being together like this all the time, eating dinner and talking about business and people they met, and thousands of other little things. He shook his head as his washed his plate, dried it, and put it away.

"Duo?" Harry called out and Duo's head snapped up. He looked at Harry with wide eyes for a second before he shook his head and nodded.

"In the hallway. Their names are Jonah and Dave. Dave looks like Derek a bit, but Jonah is completely different. Derek said that's because Jonah's completely their mother's son, and he and Dave look like their father almost completely."

Harry nodded and leaned back against a cabinet while he waited for the water to boil. "Did he ask something more?" Harry asked and Duo shrugged.

"He wanted to know why we moved here. I told him we had some problems back home and that we decided to come here for a change of scenery. A smaller town, calmer people and all that bullcrap."

Harry chuckled and the water boiled. He made coffee and let it sit while he took two cups, put some sugar in them and then poured coffee over it. Duo smiled at Harry as he accepted his cup and took a slow sip almost burning his tongue, not able to wait for it to cool down.

"Easy there, Mr. Patience. You're going to burn your tongue," Harry warned teasingly, and took a seat at the table. He sighed and relaxed in his chair.

"I can't wait for it to cool," Duo said as he took a seat. "You make _the best_ coffee." He winced and twitched in his seat. "Just don't tell Sally that."

Harry laughed at that and a smile bloomed on Duo's face. He hadn't heard that laugh since the night they went out. "Don't worry," Harry winked at him. "It'll be out dirty little secret."

For some reason –alright, ALRIGHT, for ALL THE OBVIOUS REASONS Duo blushed. "Tease," Duo muttered and Harry laughed again making Duo forget about embarrassment all together. He smiled and watched as Harry laughed. His shoulders shook and his head was thrown back a little, his cheeks were rosy and his eyes were closed, making Duo sink in his chair a bit and relax.

"Sorry. Don't mean to tease you," Harry chuckled and Duo scoffed.

"Are you kidding me? You tease me all the time!"

Harry snickered. "Maybe because you're all too easy to tease." Duo glared at him and Harry chuckled. "You're too cute when you pout."

"I do NOT pout!" Duo snapped. "And I'm most definitely not _cute_." He wrinkled his nose and Harry laughed again. He stopped and leaned on the table with his arms crossed on it and smirked at Duo.

"Well _I_ think you _are,"_ he drawled and Duo's eyebrows disappeared under his hair.

"Really now?" in that moment he regretted the fact that he and Harry were sitting very close, since Harry turned in his chair and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees.

" _I_ think that you're the cutest, most handsome, interesting, charming, smartest, most complex man I've ever met."

Duo swallowed and shivered at the low tone of Harry's voice.

Harry chuckled and tilted his head to the side with amusement written all over his face, and Duo's heart skipped a beat.

"I'll be in my room." Duo stood up quickly, but suddenly found himself slammed against the closest wall. He looked up at Harry and his breath hitched in his throat when he looked in darkened emerald eyes.

"You call me a tease when in fact _you've_ been the one teasing _me_ ever since we got here, only to _up_ the game three days ago when we came from paying Martha a visit. Every chance you get you sit close to me, you brush your hand against mine whenever you pass beside me, and I know - I just _know_ you noticed what it does to me," Harry pressed out through his teeth and Duo gulped.

'Guilty as charged,' he thought. Whether he wanted to admit it to himself or not, ever since Harry shivered at his touch few nights back, Duo tried to get the reaction every chance he got. 'I'm up to my neck in this.'

"Now," Harry bit out and stepped closer with his hands braced against the wall on both sides of Duo's shoulders. Duo slid down a bit and looked up at Harry. " _Usually_ when someone does that I'd immediately assume they _want_ something, but you? Oh, not you. You are the _perfect tease_. When we're out there you're the _perfect boyfriend,_ and while we're alone, you're the _perfect partner_ , even though you keep glancing at me all the time."

Duo blushed furiously. "Harry…"

"You constantly, _constantly_ tease me, Duo. From the first day we met you tease me with the way you walk, the way you talk, the way you bite your lips when you think, the way you tap your fingers on any available surface when you're annoyed; and the way you _eat –_ don't make me start on _that,_ " Harry growled.

"So _I'm_ the one staring when you're not looking?" Duo blurted out and Harry growled their faces inches apart.

"One moment you're keeping your distance and the next moment you're all fun and games," Harry murmured with a dangerous gleam in his eyes. "It makes me wonder, _Duo Maxwell,_ " Duo gulped, "it makes me wonder if you're _really_ interested in me, or is this just a game for you to pass the time."

Duo's eyes widened at that. Beneath the raging storm of emotions in Harry's eyes Duo could see something that left him breathless.

Hope.

Desperate hope.

And all of Duo's doubts and questions suddenly faded into the back of his mind.

Without really thinking anything through Duo fisted his hands in the collar of Harry's shirt, and pulled him down into a scorching kiss. Harry moaned and kissed back with just as much vigor. Duo yelped into the kiss (it was a very _manly_ yelp… IT WAS) when Harry grabbed his hips and hefted him up, slamming him against the wall again and making Duo wrap his legs around Harry's waist. The back of Duo's head met the wall when Harry abandoned his lips and bit into Duo's neck, making him groan and rub against Harry, seeking friction for his awakening erection.

Harry ground against him and Duo moaned, his head rolling against the wall as Harry kissed and nipped along the column of his neck.

"Harry – bedroom – _now_!" Duo snapped only to find him himself on the table, on his back. Two crashes made Harry pull back and look at the ground. He looked at Duo with a raised eyebrow.

"Erm… Ups?"

Duo rolled his eyes. He unwrapped his legs from around Harry's waist, and jumped off of the table. He grabbed Harry's collar in his left hand, and started dragging him towards the bedroom. "We'll clean it up later," Duo growled.

Harry snickered and Duo found himself against the wall again with Harry's lips on his, and Harry's hands under his shirt, pushing it up. He all but ripped Harry's shirt open, the buttons flying everywhere.

"You're gathering that," Harry murmured against Duo's lips as Duo pushed him into the room. Harry took off his shirt and Duo moaned at the sight of Harry's well defined torso, his pants becoming even tighter. Duo pulled his shirt off over his head and Harry hooked his fingers in the loops of Duo's pants, pulling him flat against his body.

Duo's breath was kicked out of his lungs when he fell backwards on the bed and Harry crawled over him laying nips on Duo's stomach and chest, before he took one pebbled nipple into his mouth and sucked. Duo arched against him and gasped when Harry grabbed his dick through his pants and rubbed it.

"Damn it!" Duo cursed and his hands entangled in Harry's wild, short hair.

Harry all but ripped Duo's pants open as he kissed down Duo's stomach and pulled them down together with his boxers.

Duo's eyes snapped open, his breath hitched in his throat, and his body convulsed when Harry swallowed him whole. "God!" he moaned and threw his head back as Harry sucked him off. 'It's been waaaay too long!' Duo thought when he almost came after Harry licked the underside of his cock and Duo's eyes flashed open when he felt Harry's finger against his entrance. 'WAAAAAAAY to long!' was his last coherent thought.

Duo choked back a scream when Harry sucked on the tip of his dick and two fingers found that sweet, sweet bundle of nerves inside Duo. He lied back on the bed, breathing as though he ran a mile as Harry climbed over him, his fingers moving inside Duo at a slow, almost comforting rhythm.

Harry leaned down and kissed Duo, and the braided man moaned at the taste of himself on Harry's lips, only to groan in displeasure when Harry pulled his fingers out.

"Want more?" Harry muttered against Duo's lips and Duo growled and pushed Harry off only to straddle him.

Harry groaned at the sight of his soon-to-be lover. Duo's braid was coming undone and soft, wavy tresses clung to sweaty, flushed skin.

" _You_ , Mr. Evans-Potter, are _seriously_ overdressed," Duo spoke as he crawled back. He unbuckled Harry's belt and unbuttoned his pants as he moved lower, pulling Harry's pants and boxers off of him.

Harry moaned when his straining need was finally free of his constricting trousers. Duo licked his lips at the proud, long, thick member presented to him. Harry gasped and his left hand entangled in Duo's hair while he clutched the covers with his right as Duo gave a teasing lick to his cock.

He moaned and tugged on Duo's hair when he started taking Harry's hard length into his mouth bit by bit. Duo moaned around Harry's cock and the raven haired man arched off of the bed, eyes flashing open. He looked down and almost came when he saw that not only was Duo sucking him off, but he was preparing himself as well. Harry growled and pulled on Duo's braid making the American let go of him.

"Hey!" Duo snapped only to gasp when he found himself on his back with Harry over him, and his fingers were replaced by Harry's.

"If you continue like that I won't last long enough to fuck you," Harry growled against Duo's right ear and Duo moaned when Harry's fingers hit his prostate again. He moaned in displeasure when Harry's fingers disappeared, only for his eyes to widen when he felt something bigger against his loosened entrance.

Harry grabbed Duo's right thigh and hooked it on his hip, while he held Duo's hands over his head with his right hand. Duo threw his head back and moaned loudly when Harry started thrusting in slowly, each time going deeper and deeper.

"God…." Harry blurted out and rested his forehead on Duo's shoulder. "You're so – so damn _tight_."

Duo gasped when Harry entered him fully and stilled for a moment. He raised his head and their eyes met, dilated with passion. Duo raised his head and licked Harry's lips, teasing him into a kiss. Harry growled and pulled out only to slam back in with as much force as he could gather.

Duo met him thrust for thrust as the temperature in the room started to grow.

"God. Harry – _faster_!"

Harry snickered breathlessly. He let go of Duo's hands and Duo wrapped them around Harry's shoulders, his nails digging into hard, flexing muscle. He wrapped his legs around Harry's waist and hissed when it seemed Harry reached even deeper. He hit Duo's prostate with each thrust and Duo knew he was close.

Almost as if Harry knew it, he reached between them and pumped Duo's neglected dick.

"Harry I'm gonna…" Duo didn't even manage to finish the sentence because he came with lights flashing behind his closed eyelids. Moments later he felt Harry tense up and a low, guttural grunt left his lips.

Harry rolled to the side after he pulled out and lied on his side as he calmed down.

Duo turned towards him with his eyes closed. He looked completely relaxed and Harry's lips tilted into a small smile.

He swallowed and slowly sat up only to stop when Duo grabbed his right hand in his left.

"Where d' you think you're going?" Duo grumbled, not even opening his eyes.

"I thought…"

"I'm not a 'fuck and run with all the fun' kind of guy, Potter. Never took you for one either."

Harry chuckled and bowed down to kiss Duo lightly. "I need to go to the toilet. I'll be right back." Duo grunted and let him go.

Harry walked out of the room with light steps and into the bathroom. He looked at his reflection and cursed under his breath.

His eyes were glowing.

He braced his hands on the sink and bowed forward.

He swallowed over a lump in his throat as his mind was filled with millions of voices.

"More time…" he murmured under his breath before he looked at his reflection. His heart skipped a beat when a thin layer of ice appeared on the mirror. "I need _more time_." His hands were shaking as something started to build up inside him.

"Harry, get your ass in here or I'm kicking you out of the apartment! _Naked_!" the moment Duo spoke up it all stopped and Harry's eyes cleared. He swallowed and pushed back from the sink. He started the water and washed his hands before he washed his face. He walked out of the bathroom and into the bedroom only to chuckle when he found Duo cuddled to a pillow and under the comforter.

Duo opened one eye and smirked at Harry before he raised the comforter. "Get over here." Harry padded over, sliding under the comforter, and almost immediately Duo snuggled over to him.

"Cuddle-bear," Harry teased and Duo snorted.

"Sue me," he grumbled and Harry chuckled. He wrapped his arms around Duo, closed his eyes tightly and buried his face in Duo's hair. Duo was already asleep and Harry felt as though a steel hand gripped his heart.

He kissed the top of Duo's head, and buried his nose in his hair as 'I love you' rolled off of his lips in a wavering breath.

'Please. Please, give me more time.' Harry hugged Duo tighter and a single tear escaped his eye. 'I need more time.'

**cut**

"I can't believe this," Une whispered.

Heero, Quatre, Wufei, Trowa and Sally were in her office looking at the footage. The image was frozen on the moment when the man behind the ice wall opened his eyes; his emerald green, _very_ _familiar_ eyes.

"Wufei…"

"It's him," he muttered in amazement and took a seat heavily as images flashed through his mind. He buried his face in his hands as Sally placed her right hand on his left shoulder. "I - I don't believe this. He was behind an _ice wall_ a little more than a month ago."

"Are you saying you remember what happened on the mission?" Une asked and Wufei raised his head, allowing everyone to see how distraught he was.

"You've seen what happened," he murmured, and looked at Une. "After - after _that_ everything went white and we woke up outside with no memory of any of it."

"This is starting to look like some poorly written Si-Fi movie," Sally bit out.

"Only it isn't," Quatre spoke up. "While we were on our way here I ordered security footage from the English Branch. Heero and I watched it while we were waiting for all of you." Quatre walked over to the computer and clicked on at least 10 files. "He's really _been_ here," he said as he showed them several different videos.

"But how is this possible?" Trowa asked. "We've all seen it. He was in that block of ice a little over a month ago. How can someone be at two places at the same time?"

"They _can't_ be," Quatre answered.

"So what is this?" Sally questioned. "Time travel?"

Everyone snorted at that.

"What is the oldest footage of Special Agent Beast?" Une asked and Quatre opened another folder.

"Longer hair and a thinner face," he described as an image of Harry appeared on the screen, asleep in a hospital bed. Everyone looked at the frozen image from the footage and then at the picture.

"It's the same man," Trowa muttered.

"But _how_?" Wufei asked and stood up. He walked over to the screen while Une sighed and stood to his right.

"There's something I've hesitated to show you before," she said and minimized everything only to open a different set of files. "These are the scanned pages from a file Hawkeye sent to me. The file itself is over 300 years old," she said and everyone gasped when she opened the file of Harry James Potter. She then maximized the footage image, the hospital photo and the image from Harrison Evans-Potter's file.

"This is ludicrous," Sally breathed out and the others couldn't agree more.

"This is either one heck of a grandfather syndrome or some crazy Si-Fi bullshit," Wufei muttered.

"And that's not all," Une said and everyone looked at her disbelievingly. "I've contacted Marina Petrov; she is a world renown Genealogist and asked her to find everything she could on Harry James Potter. It took a little convincing but I've received results today." She walked over to her desk and took a set of papers. She leaned back on her desk, shot everyone a glance over her glasses, cleared her throat, and started to read.

"Harry James Potter; son of James and Lilly Potter nee Evans. Born on 31st of July 1980. Last heir of the Potter Family, one of the oldest and richest families in England. His parents were murdered on Halloween 1981. Until his 11th birthday he lived with Petunia Dursley nee Evans and her husband Vernon Dursley. He disappears off the tracks until his 18th birthday when he signs up for a scholarship at the English Military Academy. At the age of 23 he finishes the Academy and returns to London. He married a woman named Ginny Weasley and they had a son they named Tristian Potter. Two years later, while Harry was at work his wife and son were killed by an unknown group. Harry James Potter disappears days later never to return to London. He was last seen in a small town of Godric's Hollow in West Country of England. The man that saw him was a police officer that saw him standing in front of the graveyard. He said ' _he looked both lost and angry and he was dressed in black with his hair hanging around his face as though to hide him'_. He said that he kneeled and left something in the snow before he turned and left." She frowned when she stopped reading.

"What is it?" Sally asked.

"This can't be right," Une muttered.

"What?" Heero asked.

"It says here that _'he vanished in a swirl of colors with a loud 'pop'_."

"The man must have been drunk," Wufei grumbled.

"What else does it say?" Quatre asked. His right hand was over his heart, fisted in his shirt.

"It says that there were rumors of him being sighted somewhere in Scotland, but that it was never confirmed it was him." She flipped through the pages. "There is also what seems to be a police report from a man who was rumored to be the lover of Harry James Potter during his college days. According to this it dates sometime _after_ his final disappearance."

"What did he say?" Trowa asked. Une cleared his throat again and shifted her weight.

 _"Harry isn't gone. I know it might seem that way, but he isn't. Harry could never be gone. He lost his parents to a madman, he lost family and friends to followers of said mad-man and just when he thought his life came to a peaceful time, his wife and only son were taken from him by those that to our Kind represent the minions of the Source of All Evil on Earth. Yes, he's gone right now, but he'll never be truly gone. He's too big of a Hero to simply leave this World. When we need him most, when the Darkness comes back to haunt us, he will come back. I have no doubt about it. He is a true Hero, you see. And trust me; it's not easy to be a true Hero."_ She stopped reading and turned the page.

"Is there more?" Sally asked. There were tears in her eyes and she was holding on to Wufei's shoulder tightly.

"Yes. The one who was questioning him asked why he thought Harry a real Hero." Une murmured. "He said: ' _Because he is. Do you know why I know that? Because he's destined to be alone. A Hero will always,_ _always_ _be alone, because no one can ever truly love a Hero. They love his fame, they love his accomplishments, and they love the idea of holding the Hero's love. But no one can ever truly love a Hero. Harry will come back because he_ _is_ _a true Hero; because no one ever loved him for who he is. No one ever_ _saw_ _who he truly was. Until the time someone finally_ _sees_ _that, Harry will remain a Hero. He will remain alone. And he will always,_ _always_ _come back in the Earth's darkest hour.'_ That's where the testimony stops." Une said and closed the papers. A heavy silence settled between them for a few moments.

"Can it be?" Quatre asked and looked around. "Could it really be the same man?"

"It would be impossible," Heero shook his head in denial. "It would have to be…"

"Magic," Wufei muttered and everyone looked at him.

"What did you say?" Une asked and Wufei looked at her with a small sardonic smile.

"I just remembered a few stories my grandfather told me when I was a child. He said his great-grandmother told him the same stories when he was a child. Stories about a young Wizarding boy who became a _True Hero_ after losing everything in life worth having."

" _Magic_?" Trowa asked and frowned.

"It's illogical." Heero stated firmly. "There's no such thing as magic."

"Really now." Sally drawled sarcastically. "And a man surviving behind a wall of ice for God knows how long without food or water is an everyday occurrence? Four completely identical photos of two seemingly different men are merely coincidence?"

"Once is an incident, twice is coincidence, thrice is a pattern," Une said and everyone looked at her.

"And what's four?" Quatre asked and nodded towards the monitor. "We can't deny it with everything that's laid in front of us. _And_ another thing that we can't ignore."

"And what would be that thing?" Heero asked.

"The last mission Duo and Wufei went on together," Quatre said and looked at Une. "You said that those energy surges that made you send them there started a little over four months ago." Une frowned and nodded.

"Duo and Harry are working on a serial murder case with ritualistic characteristics, and the _first_ murder happened…"

"A little over four months ago," Sally gasped.

"Duo and I talked a few days back," Quatre said. "They visited an Occultist at the local College. Duo said that at one moment Harry's eyes glowed emerald." Everyone tensed up. "Now I don't know if magic is real, but if _anyone_ can come up with a more _logical_ explanation I'll be glad to hear it."

"There _is_ no logical explanation," Heero grumbled and crossed his arms over his chest.

"There's an old saying my father once told me," Quatre spoke up as he gazed at the images on the screen. _"_ _When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains,_ _however improbable_ _, must be the truth,"_ he quoted and everyone looked at him. "What if these two are the same man? What if Harry was frozen in that ice for over 300 years, waiting for the Evil he fought before to come back so that he could beat it again? What if magic is real? Does it really change anything? It just leaves endless possibilities!"

"And complicates things immensely," Heero grumbled but a small smirk tilted his lips.

"So," Trowa said and looked around, "magic?"

"That is the most logically _illogical_ solution to this puzzle." Wufei concluded.

Une frowned, but nodded.

"Is there something wrong?" Sally asked.

"It just leaves a question of special Agent Beast's memory loss," Une murmured. "Did he really lose his memories or is he simply pretending he doesn't remember anything?"

"He was thrust into a world marginally different from the one he lived in," Trowa said and everyone nodded. "Even if he _does_ remember anything, if I were him I would pretend I didn't. It would make things easier."

"It could also be that he simply forgot," Sally said. "If he really spent over 300 years alone, trapped in ice, I wouldn't be surprised if he simply _forgot_."

"We won't know until we ask him," Heero said.

"Don't say anything to Maxwell. We'll deal with all of this once they're done with the mission," Une ordered and everyone nodded.

"Let's just hope everything goes well," Quatre said and his eyes darkened, "because for the past days I've been having a _really_ bad feeling. And I'm afraid to say that they've never been wrong before." Trowa pulled Quatre into a hug while the others exchanged worried glances.

Yes.

Quatre's feelings were never wrong.

They could only hope that this time it wasn't so.

Otherwise things would only get more complicated.

**cut**

Duo woke up alone in bed and frowned. Last night was still so vivid in his mind that it brought a blush to his face. He looked at the digital clock on his bedside cabinet and frowned. Harry didn't have to go to school today, so where was he. The shower wasn't running so he wasn't in the bathroom.

Was he sorry for what happened last night?

Sure it was impulsive and pretty rushed, but – but Duo wasn't sorry.

He liked Harry. He really _liked_ him.

He got up and pulled a pair of pants on making his way into the kitchen only to stop in his tracks when he found Harry on his knees cleaning the mess they made.

"Harry?"

"Duo!" Harry turned around and smiled at him. "I just wanted to clean this up before you woke up and make us some coffee."

A relieved smile tilted Duo's lips.

Harry looked good.

Actually he looked _very_ good.

His skin seemed to have regained some color and the circles under his eyes weren't so dark anymore.

"I could go for that cup," Duo said. "I'll be right back." He all but ran into the bathroom.

He took a cold shower.

A _very_ cold shower.

'Damn it. Don't go fallin' in love jus' yet, Maxwell,' he thought and squeezed his eyes tightly shut. 'Ya know next to nothin' 'bout 'im! Jus' that he's really, and I mean _really_ good in bed, wakes up early just to make coffee, is an excellent cook, has as much baggage as you do and – did I mention good in bed? Yeah, I did.' He hit his head against the wall of the shower and sighed. 'Dun go fallin' in love, Maxwell. It'll only end in tears.' He squeezed his eyes tightly shut. 'It'll only end in tears.'

**cut**

"I'm sure, Harry," Duo said and rolled his eyes. "You stay home and do your research-thing. I'll go and see if Martha's at the diner. If she's not I'll go to visit her at the college, and I'll ask her for a few more books."

Harry smiled at him and sighed. "Thank you, Duo. I _really_ think I'm onto something here."

Duo snorted and rolled his eyes. He was about to leave when he felt two hands wrap themselves around his waist and a hard body pressed against him, making him shiver at the memory of last night.

"Don't I get a good-bye kiss?" Harry murmured against Duo's right ear and the braided man rolled his eyes again. He turned in Harry's arms before he grabbed his face and kissed him hard.

"So you have something to think about until I get home," Duo said to Harry's shocked, blushing face, before he wiggled out of Harry's arms and left the apartment with a silly grin on his face.

"Where're ya goin' in such a rush?" Duo stopped in his tracks and looked at Derek. "Gee, man! Tune it down a li'l! I'm gonna go blind from tha' sunshine smile on ya face!" Duo snorted and rolled his eyes. Derek smiled that shark like grin and Duo suppressed a wince. If his smile was too bright Derek's grin was waaaay too creepy.

"Jus' goin' to bring Evan some more books. He's up ta his neck in one," he said and Derek snorted.

"Ya leavin' 'im alone at 'ome?"

Duo raised an eyebrow at that. "He's a big boy. He can handle being alone for an hour or two."

Derek snickered and nodded his head. "Sure," he said. "Be careful out there, Max!" he turned on his heel and waved at Duo before he disappeared down the hall. Duo shrugged and ran off, that grin coming back to his face almost immediately.

It felt good.

It felt good having someone in his life again.

Sure, Une would flip, but it would pay off.

He just _knew_ it would.

The moment this case was solved, everything would be abso-fucking-lutely _perfect!_

**cut**

Three hours. It took him three hours to find the books he and Harry needed at Martha's place. He could just _see_ the worried look on Harry's face since Duo was smart enough _not_ to charge his phone so it was lying dead and useless on top of the books beside him on the passenger seat.

He took a turn and his heart sunk.

There were police cars parked on the parking lot in front of their building.

'Please, no,' he thought as he came to a sharp stop and all but ran out of the car. 'Please, let it not be Harry! Please!'

A cop stopped him as he tried to run beside him. "Sir, you can't go in there. This is a crime scene."

Duo's guts sunk. "I – I live here," he stuttered out as panic gripped his heart. "What happened? Was there a robbery?"

The cop, Steve, sighed and shook his head. "I'm afraid not, sir. A man was shot in his apartment."

Duo paled and swayed in his place. "Which – Who?!" he snapped and Steve raised an eyebrow at him.

"Apartment 15." Duo thought he would faint. "One Evan Johnson. Sir, are you okay?"

"That's my – that's my boyfriend."

The man frowned. "Are you Max Willson?"

Duo nodded his head. He was on the verge of a panic attack. "Yes."

"Sir, one of my men will take you to the hospital immediately. Your partner is still alive, but you need to be there." Duo nodded while Steve waved another cop over.

Duo followed him into a police car, but he couldn't hear anything. He couldn't think straight.

All he could think of was that he left Harry alone.

He left Harry alone in their apartment.

The logical part of his mind told him that he couldn't know it would happen.

It told him that Harry was a fully trained Special Agent and that he knew how to take care of himself.

'So how did he end up shot?'

They came to the Hospital and Duo jumped out of the car before it even stopped properly. He ran in and to the reception on shaky legs and gasping for air.

"Evan Johnson. I'm here to see Evan Johnson," he blurted out and the nurse looked at him with a bored countenance.

"He's in IC," she drawled and Duo groaned.

"I need to see him."

"Are you his next of kin?" she asked and popped her gum, and Duo felt a nerve beside his eye twitch as anger bubbled in his chest.

"No. I'm his boyfriend."

She sneered at him. "You can't see him," she said and Duo growled, eyes flashing violet. He grabbed her collar and almost pulled her over the desk of the reception. Her eyes were wide with fear as she gazed in the eyes of Shinigami. "Listen to me, you little _bitch,_ " he growled so that only she could hear him. "The man that was just _shot_ is not only my boyfriend, but he's my _partner_. We're Preventer Agents and you _will_ tell me where he is or I swear to _God_ you won't only be looking for a new job, but you'll be asking for Witness Protection, do I make myself clear?"

"Third floor. Second room to the right," she blurted out and Duo let go of her. He turned on his heel and ran over to the elevator.

"Should we call security?" another nurse asked as she walked over to her shivering coworker.

"He's a Demon," she whimpered and took a seat heavily. The other nurse reached over to the phone, but the first one grabbed her hand and shook her head frantically.

"NO! You can't call anyone!" she hissed as she looked around in fear and the second nurse frowned.

"Why not."

"He's here – He's here because his boyfriend was shot. I – I didn't want to…" the second nurse sighed and rolled her eyes.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Clarisse?!" she snapped and Clarisse flinched and bowed her head. "You can't deny anyone anything because of your own stupid, selfish views!" she turned on her heel and walked away.

Clarisse shivered and looked at the elevator. 'Demon,' she thought. 'It was like looking in the eyes of Death itself.'

**cut**

Duo rushed out of the elevator and reached the room in time to see a Doctor close the door. "Evan Johnson?" he breathed out and the doctor looked at him with a frown.

"He's in this room. And who might you be?"

"Max Willson. His boyfriend." The doctor nodded. "How is he? Is he alright? How bad is it…"

"Sir, I'll have to ask you to calm down. Mr. Johnson is fine. The bullet passed clean through beneath his collarbone, and just above his lung. He lost a lot of blood though, and he has a very rare blood type. We're waiting for it to be delivered from London."

Duo nodded. "Can I – Can I see him?" the doctor nodded and offered a comforting smile.

"Of course. Trust me when I tell you, sir, he is in no danger. He is a strong man. As much as I understood from the cop that came with him, your partner seemed to have pretended he was dead until the one who tried to kill him left. He then managed to find something to compress his wound with. I understand that it took him a while to reach his phone, but once he managed to reach it he called the police."

Duo took a deep breath as he calmed down a bit. "So – So he'll be fine?" the Doctor sighed and patted Duo's shoulder.

"We did everything we could. The rest is up to him. At this time, there is nothing I can tell you."

Duo took a deep breath and nodded. "I'm going to see him now."

"If by some chance he wakes up, don't allow him to strain himself."

Duo nodded and the doctor left. He gulped and took a deep breath before he entered the room and almost lost his footing.

Harry was attached to a few machines and he looked pale and drained. An IV was sticking out of his right hand and Duo could see the bloody stain on the bandages. He walked over to the bed and took a seat in the chair beside it.

He reached for Harry's left hand and shivered when he felt that it was cold.

"Mr. Willson?" Duo looked over his shoulder at the nurse that just entered. "I'm Alice. I'm here to change his infusion." Duo nodded and Alice smiled at him. She worked quickly and efficiently.

"Which nurse is at the reception?" he asked and Alice rolled her eyes.

"What did she do now?" she asked in exasperation and shook her head. "She has a problem with homosexuals." She leaned forward slightly and whispered with wide eyes. "I heard her first boyfriend left her for a guy."

Duo couldn't help but snicker. "Who in their right mind would _want_ a grumpy, stuck up bitch?" Duo muttered and Alice giggled. Duo smiled and looked at Harry.

"Don't worry. He'll be just fine," she said and Duo looked at her.

"How can you be so sure?" he asked and she winked at him.

"Call it a feeling. I've never been wrong in my life."

Duo chuckled and nodded. "I'll trust you then."

She smiled at him brightly. "And you don't have to worry about anyone calling security for that stunt you pulled down there. Stay here for as long as you want," she said and Duo smiled.

"It's just – He gets these horrible nightmares…"

Alice clicked her tongue and looked at Harry sympathetically. "I'm sure he won't have them for as long as you're here." She nodded her head with her hands on her waist and Duo smiled.

"Yeah. Sure."

"I'll come again later. Try to relax a bit. I'm sure he wouldn't want you to worry about him."

Duo snorted. "He'd hit me over the head for it," he muttered and Alice grinned.

"Then don't worry! I'll see you later." She left Duo alone with Harry, and Duo swallowed and caressed Harry's hand with his thumb.

"Whoever did this will pay, Harry," he whispered and his eyes darkened. "They will pay. They will pay with their lives."

**cut**


	10. Who Stole The Tarts?!

**cut**

_"… One day Alice came to a fork in the road and saw a Cheshire cat in a tree. 'Which road do I take?' she asked. 'Where do you want to go?' was his response. 'I don't know.' Alice answered. 'Then', said the cat, 'it doesn't matter."_

Duo stopped reading and looked up at Harry's sleeping face. He sighed, placed the tablet he was reading off of on the bedside table and stood up. He reached up and caressed Harry's right cheek with a tenderness that surprised even him.

It's been three days.

Three days since Harry was brought into the hospital. Thankfully the blood Harry needed arrived quickly and he was on his way to a full recovery.

Or at least he _would_ be if he would just wake up.

That's right.

Harry had yet to wake up.

Duo was stuck in research because their apartment was off limits even for him. The Police were told not to touch anything, but they couldn't take anything out of the apartment and Duo couldn't go in, because there was a chance that whoever did this was watching the apartment in case anyone showed up.

Duo took care of everything. There was no proof anywhere that Harry survived the shooting. He wanted the raven-haired man as safe as possible. He was in a single room and two cops dressed as doctors were always nearby when Duo wasn't around.

At the moment Duo was staying in a hotel a block away from the hospital. Martha offered him a place in her guest bedroom, but Duo needed to be as close to Harry as possible. He accepted a tablet from her though.

He did his best to research everything, but he had to admit actual _research_ was never his forte. He was nowhere near Harry's level when it came to looking out of the box and connecting the smallest of details.

Duo wasn't stupid. He could figure out pretty much everything given enough time, but time wasn't something he had.

Three more girls were taken.

Three more innocent girls and they were nowhere near finding a solution. If Harry didn't wake up soon, Duo would have to call in reinforcements and then everything would go to waste.

He couldn't call in Trowa, he was already neck deep in his own research. Heero was out of the question. He was world known, so undercover missions were impossible for him, and with the due date for the birth closing in on them, Heero couldn't stay away from Relena for too long.

Quatre was probably better known than Heero so undercover missions were out of the question as well, and Une needed Wufei at the HQ.

The best Duo could get was a rooky and he _really_ wanted nothing to do with them.

He was sneaking into the graveyard every night to check the surveillance equipment, but found nothing there. Harry was right. There was no way they would be holding the girls there.

Duo was breaking his head checking over the maps of the town trying to think of a place where they would hold the girls, but even though the town was pretty big, for something like this it was too small.

So it all came down to him needing to wait for Harry to wake up.

"You're taking your damn time, Potter," he muttered.

Harry's skin regained some of its color, but his cheeks were a bit hollow and even though he was sleeping there were dark circles under his eyes. Duo tensed up when Harry's eyebrows furrowed and a low moan rolled off of his lips.

"Harry?" he breathed out and took a seat on the bed. Impulsively he started caressing Harry's face with the back of his right hand. "Come on, big guy. Come on. Wake up," he whispered as Harry's lashes fluttered. "About damn time," he murmured when Harry's eyes opened just a crack.

"What – What happened?" Harry mumbled and looked at Duo blearily. "Duo?"

"It's been three days, ya bastard," Duo growled and Harry frowned.

"What happened?" it was Duo's turn to frown. Harry winced when he tried to raise his left arm.

"Don't you remember?" Duo asked. "You were shot. Someone entered our apartment and shot you."

Harry frowned and tried to push himself up. "I don't – It's all blurry." He raised his left arm only to wince when he pulled on the infusion stuck in his hand.

"Apparently, someone entered our apartment and tried to kill you. According to what the police told me, you moved in a way that made whoever was trying to kill you miss any important organs. They assume you pretended to be dead and when the wanna-be assassin left the apartment you crawled over to your cell phone and called the police. They say they found you half dead. I couldn't enter the apartment to run my own investigation. I don't want to risk anything."

Harry sighed and nodded. He licked his dry lips and looked around. "Is there any water here?" he spoke in a broken, raspy voice, and Duo took the bottle of water he bought when he went out. He helped Harry sit up and took a seat behind him, helping him drink.

"Easy. Small sips," he instructed.

"Fuck, it hurts," Harry muttered as Duo helped him lay back down.

"You were _shot_. The bullet may have missed any important organs, but it _did_ _some_ damage."

Harry nodded and looked at the infusion. "I hate drugs," he grumbled and Duo snorted.

"You just said you're in pain. How would it be without the drugs?"

"At least I'd be able to think clearly," Harry slowly raised his right hand to rub his forehead. Duo tsked and shook his head. "What's been going on while I was asleep?"

Duo sighed. "Three more girls were taken. I tried to find a place in this damned town in which they could be holding them but I found nothing."

"They need 6 more," Harry gulped and licked his lips. "We need to stop them quickly."

"Wow, wow, wow. What do you think you're doing?!" Duo snapped when Harry tried to sit up only to groan in pain.

"I can't…"

"You were _shot_ three days ago, you idiot!" Duo shouted at him, and Harry frowned. "You can't go running around like that!"

"Duo, we need to…"

"What _you_ need to do is _heal_!" Duo snapped, and Harry looked at him wide-eyed. "You were _shot_! Someone tried to _kill you_! If you _think_ for a god damn _second_ that I'm letting you walk out of this hospital like that, guess again! I'm _not_ risking _losing you_ , damn it!" Duo stood there taking deep breaths while Harry just stared at him in shock.

"Duo, I – I'm sorry – I didn't want to –"

"I was worried _sick_!" Duo snapped and started pacing the room. "I was gone for three hours; _three hours_! Do you know what that means?! That means they _know_ we're here! That means they _know_ we're after them and that we're close to finding them! That means that if they find out you're alive they'll come after you again!"

Harry frowned and looked away from Duo. "I just can't sit still, Duo. Not when I _know_ what they'll do on the night of the Full Moon."

"I'll find you books," Duo spoke in a tired, broken voice. "I'll – I'll bring you a computer, I'll bring you more books, I'll – I'll fucking be your eyes and ears if you need me to be just _stay. In. That. Bed._ " Duo pressed out through his teeth with imploring eyes, and Harry smiled at him. He raised his right hand and wiggled his index finger.

"Come 'ere," he murmured and Duo crossed his arms over his chest. Harry sighed and rolled his eyes. "Duo. Come here," he repeated and Duo hesitatingly walked over to him.

He was about to take a seat on the edge of the bed, but Harry grabbed him and pulled him forward. Duo yelped and barely managed to arrange himself so that he didn't fall on Harry and hurt him. Fortunately (or unfortunately) he ended up straddling Harry, and the raven haired man smirked up at him and wiggled his hips just a bit.

"You're insane, you know that?" Duo grumbled and Harry rolled his eyes, pulling on Duo's left hand with his right.

"I've never been accused of being sane," he answered and Duo snorted. "Come here. I _know_ I've been asleep for three days and my mouth feels like something crawled in it and d..." Harry's words were swallowed by Duo's mouth.

"You're right," Duo said and rested his forehead against Harry's as he framed his head with his forearms. The feel of Harry's warm hands on his hips gave him comfort. "You _do_ taste like _shit_." Harry chuckled and hissed when he strained his shoulder.

Duo opened his eyes and looked in Harry's. 'They're even _more_ beautiful from this close,' he thought. "Does it hurt?" he asked in a voice hardly louder than a whisper.

"A bit," Harry said and Duo snorted.

"Considering that you've proved you're more like me an' the guys than I originally thought, I'll take tha' as 'hurts like hell but I won't admit it'."

Harry chuckled again and nuzzled his nose against Duo's. "Maybe." Comfortable silence settled between them.

Duo had to try hard not to move lower and rest his head on Harry's chest. He was tired. He didn't sleep for three days, and the constant worry about Harry made him more tired than he'd usually be after three days of no sleep.

"You know it's just my left shoulder that's hurt, right?" Harry murmured.

"Hm?" the raven-haired man chuckled and patted Duo's thigh with his right hand.

"Come on, Mr. Cuddle-Bear. You look like you hadn't slept in days. You need rest too." Duo frowned and looked in Harry's eyes. Harry sighed and rolled his eyes. "I can practically _hear_ your thoughts, Duo. Don't worry so much about me, okay? You need rest as well. Now that I'm bound to this bed you'll be doing all the footwork. Everyone's entitled to four hours of sleep. Even you." Duo looked to the side in consideration only to jump slightly, yelp and glare at Harry when he slapped his thigh.

"I just – I don't want to hurt you," Duo said and Harry sighed.

"You're not a restless sleeper. Besides, if you _do_ move too much, I'll just throw you off the bed." Harry shrugged his good shoulder. Duo smacked his chest and Harry ouffed. "Lower next time, please!" he gasped out and Duo winced.

"Sorry."

"Would you just go to sleep?" Harry asked in exasperation and Duo blushed. He slowly moved around until he lied beside Harry.

The raved haired man pulled him closer with his good arm and Duo rested his head on Harry's chest.

"You should have moved under the blanket," Harry murmured as Duo nuzzled against him. His eyes settled on the bandage on Harry's left shoulder, checking for blood.

"I'm good like this," Duo muttered and Harry chuckled lowly, sending vibrations down Duo's body. They were quiet for a few moments with Duo still resisting the call of Morpheus.

"Stop worrying," Harry whispered and Duo frowned. He tilted his head up and looked at Harry.

"I'm not."

Harry rolled his eyes and snorted. "You suck at lying." Harry smirked, and Duo barely resisted the urge to stick his tongue out at him. "Explains your motto."

Duo frowned at him. "My motto?" Duo asked and Harry smiled.

"I may run and hide but I never lie," he recited, and Duo looked away in confusion. He didn't remember telling that to Harry… _ever_. The guys had no reason to tell him that. It was never recorded. So how did Harry know about it?

"Harry, how do you…" his voice faded away when he looked up and found Harry asleep. His expression softened and he smirked. "I need my rest, he says," he muttered and laid his head on Harry's chest.

He threw his right arm over Harry's waist and closed his eyes. He slowly fell asleep, enveloped in Harry's scent, assured that he would be fine, and somewhere in the back of his mind Duo knew - he just _knew_ that falling in love was not only an option.

It may have already happened.

**cut**

"Do you have anything?" Duo asked as he sneaked back in Harry's room at the hospital only to stop in his tracks and gape. The walls were covered in papers and pictures, there were books scattered all over the floor, and Harry was sitting on the bed, holding his left arm crossed over his chest, a notebook on his crossed legs and a pen in his right hand with the cap of the pen sticking out of his mouth. He took it out and tried to straighten only to wince.

"Except a killer knot in my back? Nothing," Harry grumbled and stood up slowly. "You?" he asked and Duo walked over to him trying not to step on any of the books and papers on the ground. He threw a paper bag on the bed and placed a cup on the bedside cabinet.

"Alice will kill you," Duo muttered as he looked around, and Harry snorted.

"Alice is having the time of her life," Harry drawled and placed his hand on the wound in his shoulder. "She suggested doping me up on morphine. Something about the possibility of drugs enhancing brain functions."

"Morphine would be a bad drug to use for that," Duo muttered with his fists on his hips, looking around the mess Harry made out of his hospital room. "Anything?"

"Nothing. You?"

"Three more girls have gone missing," Duo grumbled and ruffled his hair with his hand. "The Cops aren't even waiting for the 24 hour deadline. They've sent out word three days ago over the TV and papers that parents should report their daughters missing the moment they don't show up at home before the curfew."

Harry cursed under his breath. "We're getting nowhere like this. We have three days. Three days to figure this thing out before everything goes to hell," Harry said and took a seat on the bed tiredly.

Duo frowned and took a seat beside him. "I can't believe we found nothing," he spoke tiredly. "Maybe it's time to bring in the big guns."

Harry shook his head. "The police are already searching for the girls. They'd get stuck where we are."

"How about your memory?" Duo asked and Harry groaned.

"Don't get me started. _Nothing_. Big, fat, ugly, _nothing,_ " Harry pressed out through his teeth and Duo frowned. "I know I got ready to get some rest. The shades were down so it was dark. I didn't even hear the door open," Harry said and Duo looked at his face. It was scrunched up in concentration. Harry growled and braced his right elbow on his right knee. " _God_ , I hate this."

"Can't you remember anything? Anything at all?" Duo asked.

"I heard footsteps. I thought it was you. I stood up to help you with the books. I saw – I saw nothing but a silhouette and the glimmer of a gun."

Duo placed his hand on Harry's right shoulder and squeezed. "Can't you tell me anything else?" Duo asked and Harry growled, squeezing his eyes tightly shut.

"I _know_ it was a man," Harry bit out. "My height, maybe an inch shorter. Wide in the shoulders."

"Anything distinctive?" Duo asked. Harry swallowed before he took a deep breath. Moments later his facial lines relaxed.

"Now that you mention it…" Harry murmured and Duo frowned. Harry's voice sounded somehow strange. "It was – There _was_ something."

"What?" Duo asked.

"A ring." Harry said and his eyes snapped open. He jumped to his feet and ran over to a book pile in the very back of the room.

"Harry…"

"I _know_ I've seen it somewhere! I just _know_ it!" Harry snapped as books flew over his right shoulder. "A-ha!" he cried out in triumph and walked over to the bed.

"Slow down, Ry. You're gonna hurt yourself."

Harry stopped flipping the pages and looked at Duo. "What did you call me?" he asked and Duo raised an eyebrow.

"Harry."

"No, you didn't," Harry said. "You called me Ry."

"I did?" Duo blushed looking anywhere but at Harry, and the raven-haired man smiled.

"It was nice," he said and Duo raised an eyebrow at him.

"So – So you don't mind?"

Harry chuckled and shook his head. "No. It's alright." Silence settled between them for a second.

Duo cleared his throat and nodded towards the book Harry was flipping through. "You were saying," he urged his partner on, and Harry went back to the book.

"Right," he murmured. "Here it is." He turned the book towards Duo. "It's a book about old families of Britain. I thought this signet ring looked familiar, but I didn't stop to think about it."

Duo frowned as he looked at the painting of the ring. "What language is this?" Duo muttered and wrinkled his nose.

Harry chuckled and Duo shot a glare at him. "It's Ancient Latin."

"And let me guess – you read that one as well?" he drawled and Harry chuckled.

"Yes. I read that one as well."

"So, what does this say?"

"Noble and Ancient house of Malfoy," Harry translated. "According to this book they were one of the oldest families in Britain. First mention of the Malfoy name dates back to the year 1234 before colonies. I've found a lot of families that dated even further, but rare are those who survived to this day and age."

"Which families are those?" Duo asked and Harry sighed.

"Well the Longbottom family survived," Harry said and took a seat. He winced and rubbed his left shoulder lightly. "Then there is the Zabini Family, the Parkinson Family, Finnegan family, and a few others. Oh, and another one caught my eye," Harry said and smirked. He placed the book in his lap and flipped a few pages.

"Which one?" Duo asked only to raise an eyebrow when Harry showed him a familiar crest with a Chinese dragon.

"The Chang family," Harry said.

"Where did you find all this?" Duo murmured.

"I found a genealogist over the internet; Marina Petrov. I called her and asked her about these families."

"You sure work fast," Duo said and Harry chuckled.

"I wanted to know about these families. They intrigued me," Harry said. Duo was flipping through the book until something caught his eyes. He squinted as he traced the only thing he could read in this damn book.

"Potter?" Duo said and looked at Harry. The man swallowed and nodded.

"Yeah. The Ancient and Noble House of Potter. Direct descendants of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Gryffindor. That family disappeared off the charts some 300 years ago."

"So they have no connections to you." Duo flipped the pages over to the Malfoy family. "We should concentrate on this one. That's probably the only clue we have."

Harry nodded. "I'll research this family more thoroughly then." Harry said and Duo nodded his head. Harry winced and straightened a bit, and Duo saw the pain on his face.

"Maybe you should rest a bit," he suggested.

"There's no time for that," Harry said and stood up. He picked up a map off of the floor and showed it to Duo. "I've marked all the places in a two mile radius that look like a possible hiding place for them and that has enough room to hide 12 girls."

Duo looked at the map. "Should I check them out?" he asked and Harry sighed before he brushed his right hand though his hair.

"I don't know, Duo. I'm not comfortable with letting you go alone," Harry murmured and Duo rolled his eyes.

"Harry, I've handled worse mission than this one. _Alone_. I have you here as backup."

"I'm not all that useful right now, Duo," Harry drawled dryly and Duo raised an eyebrow.

"Research-wise you've done more in the last three days than I did. Find everything you can about this Malfoy family while I go and check out the sights."

Harry sighed and looked around the room. "I still don't like this," he grumbled.

Duo couldn't help but smile. He walked over to Harry, took his right hand in his left and made him look at him. He leaned forward and kissed him. Harry hummed and wrapped his right arm around Duo's waist and pulled him as close as he could go.

"Worrywart," Duo murmured against Harry's lips and Harry snorted. He rested his forehead on Duo's and swallowed.

"Just swear to me you'll be careful. Swear that you'll stay low and if you _do_ find them that you'll call the locals for backup."

"I swear. As long as you promise not to do anything stupid."

Harry snorted and nodded. "I promise."

Duo smiled and chuckled. "There are two cops patrolling the hospital at all times. You have your gun?" Duo asked and Harry nodded.

"Under my pillow."

"Good. I'll be back before dawn. I promise."

Harry nodded and Duo pushed himself away from Harry. He winked at him and left the room.

Harry brushed his hair back with his right hand, sighed and walked over to the bedside cabinet to take the phone. He looked at his wristwatch and sighed.

'It shouldn't be too late to call her,' he thought and dialed the number.

After a few rings the line opened.

_"Marina Petrov here, who am I speaking to?"_

"Good evening, Ms. Petrov. I'm Special Agent Evans-Potter. We talked two days ago."

_"Oh, Special Agent! I didn't think we would be talking again so soon. How can I help you this time?"_

Harry smiled and took a seat. "I was wondering if there was a way to find out more about the Malfoy family," Harry said and heard Marina hum over the line.

_"How much more?"_

"I'm thinking real estate, social connections and the names of all living members of the family."

Marina sighed and Harry's heart clenched a bit. _"I'll see what I can do, Special Agent. I'm out of the country for the week so I'm a bit limited with resources, but I'll do my best. Where did you say you were at the moment?"_

"Nottingham hospital," Harry said.

 _"Nottingham hospital?"_ she questioned and Harry snorted.

"Injured in the line of duty. My partner's doing the footwork while I'm sitting in my room doing research."

Marina giggled and a small smile tilted Harry's lips. _"I see. Is it too much to ask about the case you're working on? I might have someone there that could help you."_

"We're working on a serial murder case with ritualistic characteristics. For the moment the only hint about who might be the suspect is my vogue memory of the ring the man who tried to kill me wore. We recognized it as the Malfoy signet ring."

_"My sister teaches the Occult at the local college. Did you try to contact her?"_

"Sister?" Harry said. It hit him like a ton of bricks and he wanted to slam his head into the closest wall. "Petrov. How didn't I make the connection?"

_"You've already contacted her?"_

"That's how we made the connections. She gave us a lot of her books," Harry explained.

_"Martha can also help you with a few other things. I'll see what I can do about what you've asked. My sister has a list of all the old families that were rumored to be practicing the occult. The list reaches back at least 400 years. We've worked on that list together when I was working on my Mastery. If I remember correctly the Malfoys were connected to two or three other families. She can help you with that."_

"Thank you, Ms. Petrov. I'm in your debt," Harry said.

_"It's my pleasure to help you any way I can, Special Agent. I do believe you know that my line of work isn't overly exciting. The most excitement I get is when I find documentation about a family that disappeared over 500 years ago. Trust me, I'm enjoying this."_

Harry chuckled and shook his head. "To be perfectly honest I could go for a less exciting line of work right now."

 _"You mean one less life threatening,"_ she stated dully and Harry laughed.

"I guess," he said.

 _"Just a word of advice. Like I said, my sister and I worked on my Mastery together, and I worked with her when she was writing her own Mastery. Whatever ritual these idiots are trying to perform, they are up to no good. Don't get me wrong, but I've seen a few things that had me doubting there's nothing supernatural in this world. If there_ _is_ _such a thing as Magic, I wouldn't want to be anywhere near Nottingham if you fail to stop them. Keep my sister safe."_

"You don't have to worry about that, Ms. Petrov," Harry promised in a tight voice. "We _will_ stop them."

 _"For the good of everyone, I truly hope you do, Special Agent. I hope you do,"_ she said and Harry swallowed. _"I'll call you tomorrow if I'll have anything."_

"Thank you. Good night."

 _"Good night._ " Harry broke the line and looked around the room. He stood up and threw the phone on the bed. He walked over to the wall where he had the pictures from the crime scenes pasted on a big copy of the map of Britain.

He closed his eyes and frowned.

He remembered the night when he was shot pretty clearly. What had him confused was the fact that he could neither _see_ nor _hear_ the man that tried to kill him. The only thing that warned him was the fact that his skin crawled and a bad feeling appeared in his guts. Everything about the man was blurry. Everything but that ring.

'But the only way for that to be possible is if someone used the Notice-Me-Not Spell.' He thought and his frown deepened. 'But why did I see the ring then? I couldn't even determine the sort of the gun.' He opened his eyes and started pacing. 'Unless - Unless the ring was made from goblin gold. Nothing can conceal it.' He stopped in his tracks and rubbed his forehead with his right hand.

"But where did I _see_ it?" he growled. "I _know_ I've seen it before." He started pacing again. "But where? _Where_?!"

**cut**

Duo sighed as he parked in front of the diner. It was half past 8 in the morning and he was slightly pissed. He promised to Harry that he would be back before dawn. He managed to check out only three out of seven locations Harry marked on the map. They were in the middle of fricking nowhere and no matter how good Duo was he couldn't pop over from one to another in a single night. Harry was probably eating himself up with worry since Duo didn't manage to call in since his cell phone died on him sometime in the middle of the night.

'I only hope he won't bite my head off,' he thought as he entered the diner.

"Max?!" Mary called out the moment he entered the diner and rushed over to him. She grabbed him tightly and Duo's eyes widened. "I'm so sorry, dear. I'm so, so sorry," she whispered.

Duo swallowed heavily and patted her back. "T-thanks," he mumbled and she took a step back. She cupped his cheeks and looked in his eyes.

"You look like you hadn't gotten a wink of sleep, Max. Come on. I'm going to give you something to eat. My teat," she said.

"No need, May." He tried to smile for her as she led him over to the bar. "I just – I just came for a Cesar salad. I need to go back to my hotel room. The police dun want me out on the streets fer long."

Mary tsked and shook her head. "I still can't believe it," she murmured. "Do you want a cup of coffee?" she asked and Duo shook his head.

"No. I'm strung up enough as it is." Mary nodded.

"Max?" Duo raised his head and saw Martha walking towards him.

"I'll go bring you your salad, Max," Mary said and left.

Martha walked over to him and pulled him into a hug. "Is he alive? Is he well?" she blurted out in a whisper.

"He's in the hospital. We're keeping it under wraps until we find out who did this," Duo murmured just as quietly, and Martha let go of him, breathing a sigh of relief.

"I just can't believe it. There are some really sick people out there," she growled as they took seats at the bar.

"Tell me about it," Duo said and Martha snorted.

"What did the police tell you?" she asked.

"Hate kill," Duo snorted. "I can't believe they're putting it under a hate kill," he growled and fisted his hands on the desk.

"I just don't know who would want to do something like that. There's no one in this town sick enough to actually _kill_ someone."

"You don't know what goes through people's heads, Martha," Duo murmured.

"Call me if you need anything, alright?" she said. "You have my number. I'll do everything in my power to help you."

Duo gifted her with a small smile and nodded. "Thanks."

Mary came back in that moment and Duo smiled at her gratefully.

"It's on the house," Martha and Mary said at the same time and Duo chuckled lowly.

"Thank you. I promise. I'll pay you back for everything one day," he said and the two women glared at him.

"Go. Eat and sleep. You're not gonna get anywhere if you kill yourself," Mary said, and Martha and Duo winced at that. Mary blushed and bowed her head. "I'm sorry," she muttered and Duo shook his head.

"No. It's alright. I know you didn't mean it that way," he said, stood up and waved at them. "See you later." He walked out of the diner, doing his best to ignore the looks everyone else was sending him. He got into his car, threw the paper bag on the seat beside him, crossed his arms on the wheel and took a deep breath.

He hated this.

He hated acting.

He hated pretending.

He moved backwards in his seat and started the car.

Hopefully it would all be over soon.

Hopefully.

**cut**

Duo swallowed and took a deep breath before he opened the door to Harry's room.

"Took you long enough." He tensed up when Harry growled. Duo looked at him and barely managed to suppress a shiver. Harry was sitting in a chair with his arms and legs crossed and darkness shadowing his eyes.

"Before ya start shouting - I'm sorry, it wasn't intentional. I forgot ta charge my phone yesterday an' it died. I _know_ ya were worried sick an' thank ya fer not starting a search fer me. Thank ya fer trustin' me ta be alright." Harry snorted and shook his head. Duo grinned sheepishly and raised two paper bags. "I bring tokens of peace?" Harry raised an eyebrow at him. "A Cesar Salad and a chocolate chip muffin, with a cup of good old Earl Gray."

Harry's eyebrows disappeared under his bangs and Duo's smile faded a bit. "That won't make me forget about this," Harry warned.

"Will it at _least_ make you _forgive_ me?" Duo asked weakly and Harry snorted.

He stood up and walked over to Duo, grabbed everything from Duo's hands with his right hand, turned his back on Duo, and walked over to sit on his overstuffed bed. "I'll _think_ about it," he said and started on the salad.

Duo breathed a sigh of relief and took a seat in the chair. "Anything?" he asked and Harry nodded.

"I talked with Ms. Petrov. First and foremost I can't _believe_ I didn't connect her to Martha. They're sisters."

Duo raised an eyebrow. "It's a small world," he muttered and Harry nodded.

"And second, she's going to call me the moment she has something for me."

"Good. I checked out three out of seven locations you've marked. I didn't find anything. I was thinking I should continue searching during the day, _but if ya think I should wait 'til t'night tha's fine too,_ " Duo blurted out when Harry glared at him.

"Good," he bit out and finished his salad. "I was thinking though," he dug out the muffin, "maybe we should call in Trowa."

Duo frowned. "He's working on the past crime scenes."

"I know," Harry said, "but I'm nowhere _near_ well enough to fight and you need someone you can trust at your back."

Duo frowned and nodded. "I see why that would be good, but I don't believe Une will allow that. We could attract too much attention."

Harry hummed. "But you just lost your boyfriend. If anyone asked questions, which I doubt will happen, you can simply say he's your friend and he came to keep you company. Besides, out of all your friends he's the one people will least suspect. Anyone else is too well known for an undercover mission."

Duo nodded. "I'll see what can be done," he said and Harry smiled.

"Thank you, Duo. I'll breathe easier knowing you're not alone out there."

Duo sighed and rolled his eyes. "I'm not incompetent."

"Neither am I," Harry reminded and Duo knew what he meant without him needing to say it out loud.

Yes.

Harry wasn't incompetent.

And yet, despite that, he's in a hospital with a bullet wound in his shoulder.

He could see why Harry wanted Trowa here.

"I'll call Une right away," Duo said, stood up, took Harry's phone and left the room. The moment the door closed behind him he took a deep breath and his shoulders relaxed. "That went well," he murmured and walked down the hallway. 'And now to face the _other_ dragon,' he thought as he dialed Une's number. 'I must be a sucker for punishment.'

**cut**

Harry's head snapped up when Duo entered his room. He raised an eyebrow when he saw Duo wipe his brow with the back of his right sleeve. "You're alive," Harry teased and Duo snorted.

"It went surprisingly well," he drawled and took a seat. "Trowa's getting packed as we speak."

Harry's eyebrows disappeared under his fringe. "I thought she'd tell us to fuck off," Harry muttered and Duo tsked.

"Trust me. I was ready to duck an' roll."

Harry shook his head. "When will he be here?"

"By tomorrow morning," Duo said and Harry nodded.

"Marina will send me everything as soon as she finds something."

"So what is it you're looking for?" Duo asked and Harry shrugged.

"I'm pulling on straws here," he said. "I figured that maybe whoever's doing this – if they are indeed Malfoys then they might actually have property somewhere close by. It's world known that old families have houses all around the world. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised. They had to plan this carefully. If we take this as the fifth spot of the pentagram, they not only used it as a starting point but they are currently using it as the ending point as well. And it might be – it might be one more thing."

Duo frowned at him. "And what's that?" he asked and braced his elbows on his knees. Harry sighed and grabbed his tablet. Duo stood up and walked over to Harry. He frowned when Harry rubbed his shoulder with a wince. "Does it hurt?"

Harry snorted and looked at Duo from under his eyebrows. "Course it hurts," he muttered.

"Why don't you ask for something against the pain?" Duo asked.

"Because I need a clear head," Harry stated firmly. "Nothing but Morphine works on me, and it makes me slow and drowsy."

Duo frowned. "Nothing else works?"

Harry nodded. "Yeah. And the dosage needs to be at least double what they usually give for it to work."

"Some metabolism," Duo muttered and Harry chuckled.

"Yeah." He opened a tab on his tablet.

"What is this?" Duo muttered as he looked at the map on the screen. A lot of lines were crossed right over Nottingham.

"These are Lay lines," Harry said with a sigh. "Apparently, a lot of them are crossing here. And when I say a lot I mean _a lot_. What you see here is an 80:4 point constellation and/or alignment."

"And that's bad?" Duo asked dully, and Harry glanced at him with a suffering sigh.

"According to what I've read about lay lines this means that this in an area of _extreme_ magical power. You can imagine them like lines made out of pure natural energy."

"Where do you come up with this shit?" Duo grumbled and took the tablet out of Harry's hand to take a closer look at the map.

"I read," Harry stated, and Duo raised an eyebrow at him.

"Know-it-all," he grumbled only to frown when Harry choked up a bit. "What is it?" Duo asked and looked at Harry closely. His eyes looked shadowed, but Duo recognized the look in Harry's eyes. It was similar to the one he had when they first came to Martha to ask for books on Rituals. "Harry?" he said and gently squeezed his good shoulder. Harry twitched and looked at Duo, his eyes clearing instantly. "What was it?" Duo asked in such a gentle tone he surprised himself.

"Nothing," Harry cleared his throat. He shook his head and looked at the tablet again. "Nothing."

Duo frowned. "That wasn't nothing, Harry. I could have sworn you were about to relapse on me again."

"I'm fine," Harry said and gave Duo a shaky smile. "Really. I'm fine."

"Did you have another nightmare last night?" Duo asked and Harry frowned.

"Night – No! No! What are you – How do you…"

"I'm a pretty light sleeper," Duo stated with a smile. He didn't need to tell Harry that he got up every night to check up on him ever since they first visited Martha. Besides Duo _is_ a light sleeper. He didn't _lie_. Not really.

"I'm sorry," Harry murmured and Duo frowned.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. Besides," Duo shrugged, doing his best to fight off the blush that threatened to cover his face, "the night we – the night we slept together you didn't have a nightmare."

Harry swallowed and bowed his head. "It helped," he muttered and Duo frowned.

"What helped?"

"Sleeping beside you." Harry shrugged again with his head bowed. "It felt – It felt safe. I didn't feel as though I was alone. That's when the chance of me relapsing is biggest," Harry said. Duo didn't know what to say, so he did the next best thing. He tilted Harry's head up with his right hand placed under Harry's chin before he leaned in and kissed him.

"I – I don't know what _this_ is, Harry," Duo said. "I know less than you do about these relapses of yours. I know even less about your nightmares. But – But after this mission is over and – and we return home, maybe – maybe we could – I don't know – try to make this _work_?" Harry looked at him with wide eyes. For a second Duo thought Harry didn't like that idea, but when he saw the sparks of hope in Harry's eyes Duo's heart calmed and something flared in it. Something he couldn't (or didn't _want to_ ) name yet. He wasn't even sure he would _ever_ want to name it.

"I'd like that," Harry whispered in a raspy voice. "I'd like that a lot." Duo smiled. "I like you, Duo. You're a – You're a one of a kind man."

Duo snorted and shook his head. "No, I'm not. I suck at almost everything I do," he spoke bitterly. "I sucked at being a soldier. I – I got so pulled into my job that I failed at being a friend. I – I failed _every single human being_ in my life that I _ever_ cared about. I allowed _you_ to get _shot_ …"

"Stop right there," Harry cut him off. "You are a _great_ man, Duo Maxwell," Harry said, looking straight in Duo's eyes. "You were a _great_ Gundam Pilot. You did your very best. You survived; you didn't allow the war to turn you into a bitter, sad creature it turned most soldiers in. Yes, you may have allowed the job to pull you in to the border of obsession, but you didn't forget your friends. They simply should have tried harder to pull you away from it. You are smart, intelligent, quick on your feet, and you have a heart of gold. You will _never_ belittle yourself in my presence again, do I make myself clear? I'm very picky when it comes to work partners and even pickier when it comes to friends, _especially_ lovers. So far I've seen _nothing_ in you that would chase me away from your side, so _stop_ thinking that everything bad that happened to people in your life was your fault. You're not god; you can't save everyone. You can't be at two places at the same time. As for _me_ , I'm _alive_. Yes I got shot, but it was in no way _your fault_. If you want to blame _anyone_ blame the dick who shot me. Besides, _I_ was the one who relaxed and got careless. The blame's on me, not you."

Duo gulped and looked away from Harry, making him sigh tiredly.

"Duo? Look at me." Duo glanced at Harry from under his eyebrows. "We'll take care of this case. We'll beat this together. You promise me – you _swear_ to me that after this shit is over, you'll remember what I told you, alright?" Duo frowned. His frown deepened when he saw the shadow that covered Harry's eyes. "With or without me, I need you to promise me that you'll never speak like that again, alright?"

"Harry, what are you…"

"Special Agent Maxwell?" the two jumped in their seats and looked at the man that entered the room. The officer frowned and shifted his weight. "I'm sorry for interrupting, but I need you to come to the station with me."

"Did something happen?" Duo asked.

"Captain Rorschach wants to speak with you concerning the kidnappings."

Duo nodded.

"Go. I'll be fine," Harry said and Duo frowned. He wanted to stay. Harry's words were digging into his consciousness like knives. Something wasn't right.

Something _definitely_ wasn't right.

"Go, Duo. They might have found something we missed." Duo nodded. "And you should check out the other places I marked on the map. No use of the both of us sitting here like logs," Harry said making Duo frown harder.

"You sure?" Duo asked and Harry nodded.

"Absolutely. Just – Just call in occasionally."

Duo nodded. "I'll see you then," he said and left. The officer saluted Harry and the raven haired man nodded at him.

Once he was alone Harry sighed and looked at the tablet.

'This is absolutely perfect,' he thought sarcastically. ' _Normal_ humans could make this Ritual work with so many lay lines crossing here. We need to hurry up. We need to find those girls as quickly as possible.' He shivered and looked at his hands when a wave of coldness washed over him. He let go of a wavering breath and the temperature in the room dropped drastically. He closed his eyes and shivered.

'Damn it,' he thought and looked out the window at the cloudy sky. 'More time. I _need. More. TIME!_ '

**cut**

"You asked for me?" Duo said as he entered the office of the Nottingham captain. The man raised his head and nodded at him.

"Please take a seat," he said and Duo walked over and took a seat in the chair in front of the captain's table.

"What is it? You know I'm in the middle of an investigation and with my partner hospitalized…"

"I know that, Special Agent," the man said and frowned. "And _you_ must know that I'm not at all _happy_ with the Preventers running an investigation in _my_ town, without giving me necessary information. Not even _now_ \- when the count of missing young women grew to _10_ \- have you decided to share your information with me."

Duo frowned at him, crossed his legs, and then his arms. "You do realize that even though our cases are connected, the case my partner and I are working on is bigger than you could _possibly_ comprehend. Our mission is top secret, which means we _can't_ share information with you. The missing girls _are_ under your jurisdiction, and we have nothing against you sending team after team to look for them. It helps us in a way that it's moving the attention from us onto _you_ , because while _you_ are looking for the missing girls, _we_ are looking for these psychotic sociopaths who are _kidnapping_ these girls. We have it on good authority that these girls are still alive."

Duo slowly stood up and leaned over the tale with his hands braced on it. The captain frowned and moved back a little when Duo's eyes flashed violet.

"Now," he pressed out through his teeth. "My partner is in the hospital. We think that whoever shot him is the one that's behind all of this. What we _don't_ know is who they are, but we've got that covered. _You_ search for the girls. _We_ will take care of everything else. _This_ crime is being investigated by the Preventers. While the local police _can_ help, you are not allowed to mix in unless asked. When we came to this god forsaken town we informed you of our arrival and you were told _not to mix in_. Due to this little stunt you pulled, you might have compromised our mission. As far as we know my partner and I are under observation of those fucking sons of bitches. _If_ you managed to compromise this mission you can _bet_ I will have you charged with obstruction as soon as I'm done with these suckers, do I make myself clear? So _until you're actually called for backup,_ you will _shut your mouth,_ and continue looking for these girls. You know the territory, you know the sights. My partner is working on finding _more_ possible hiding places. If he finds something, you'll be informed because in that moment we will need your back up. _Until then do. Your. Job._ "

The man swallowed heavily and nodded.

"Was that all, Captain?" Duo asked and straightened.

"That would be all, Special Agent."

Duo nodded. "Until later." He turned on his heel and left the office, slamming the door closed on his way out. He walked out of the station ignoring the frightened glances people were shooting him. He was pissed and it was showing. He walked over to his car and entered it, slamming the door closed a bit too hard. He tied his seatbelt and rushed off of the parking lot.

"A complete loss of time," he growled. "Stupid, self-centered idiots."

He took a deep breath and let go. He grabbed Harry's map and looked at the marked places he had yet to check. He threw it back on the seat and took a sharp turn.

He was slowly running out of patience.

'This better lead _somewhere,_ ' he thought and gripped the wheel tightly, 'or I just might blow this whole _town_ to bits.'

**cut**

Harry stood by the window of his room, biting into his thumb with fervor. Night has fallen and Duo had yet to call in. Harry moved to call him several times but gave up on it, telling himself to trust that Duo was fine.

'Damn it, Harry,' he thought and ran his fingers through his hair. 'Calm down. He's fine. He's probably checking out some place and forgot about calling. He's used to working alone, remember?'

He started pacing his room, trying _not_ to listen to the little voice at the back of his mind that was constantly whispering to him.

_Maybe they got him._

_Maybe he's lying somewhere dead and you're sitting here._

_Maybe you shouldn't have suggested he went alone._

_You could have lost your partner already._

"No," he growled. "He's fine. He's just fine."

"Do you make a habit out of talking to yourself?"

Harry turned on his heel quickly and almost lost his footing when his left shoulder screamed in pain. "Fuck!" he hissed and grabbed his shoulder as he fell on one knee.

"Damn."

Harry looked up when the newcomer cursed and ran over to him. "Thought you'd come tomorrow," Harry gasped as Trowa gripped his elbows and gently pulled him up.

"I took Quatre's private jet," Trowa said as he led Harry over to the bed and made him sit down. Harry snorted as he gripped his shoulder tightly. "Let me look at that."

"It's alright," Harry said, but Trowa would have none of that. He unbuttoned Harry's shirt quickly and looked at the bandage. He lifted it slightly to look at the wound and hummed.

"It didn't reopen. Good."

Harry chuckled as he buttoned up his shirt and nodded at Trowa. "Told you it was fine."

"Where's Duo?" Trowa asked as he took a seat at the table.

"Checking out a few places I marked as possible hiding spots for the kidnapped girls."

"Do you have any idea who shot you?" Trowa asked and pulled over a chair to take a seat in front of Harry.

"I couldn't see his face. All I saw was a signet ring on his hand."

Trowa frowned at that. "Wait. You couldn't see his face but you saw his ring."

Harry shrugged his good shoulder. "Don't ask me how," he said. "I'm still trying to figure things out. I'm not incompetent and I didn't relax so much that I wasn't aware of my surroundings, and yet I didn't hear the door open nor did I hear him enter. _No one_ is that quiet."

Trowa hned. "That _is_ strange. Did Duo manage to check out the apartment?"

Harry shook his head. "We don't know if someone's watching us. We didn't want to risk it." Trowa nodded and Harry frowned. There was a look in Trowa's eyes; a look he couldn't decipher. "What is it?" Harry asked and Trowa raised the one visible eyebrow at him.

"What?" he asked and Harry's eyebrows furrowed.

"That look…" he murmured, "is something wrong?"

"Not _wrong_ , per se." Trowa shifted in his chair and Harry's frown deepened. "We've just found out who you are, Harry Evans-Potter. Or should I call you Harry _James_ Potter." Harry tensed up, his face went blank, and his eyes dulled.

"What?" he blurted out and Trowa frowned.

"Hawkeye found your file from over 300 years ago. We've cracked the footage from Duo's and Wufei's last mission. We've connected the dots, so to say." Harry swallowed and slowly stood up. Trowa's frown deepened as Harry walked away from the bed, putting some distance between Trowa and himself.

"And?" Trowa noticed the way Harry clenched and unclenched his hands periodically and the way his body was wrecked with shivers.

"At first we were confused. How can someone survive for so long? How can someone survive in a block of ice? Is it some kind of advanced technology or a serious case of a grandfather syndrome?"

Harry swallowed and stopped when his back touched the wall. "And?" his voice broke and Trowa stood up with a worried frown.

"We've come to the most illogically _logical_ conclusion we could come up with. You've used some kind of _magic_." In that moment the lamp on the ceiling blinked a few times and everything started vibrating. "Harry?"

"How – How is this possible?" Harry mumbled.

The light was blinking quicker and quicker, and Trowa started to move towards Harry with his arms spread out and hands raised in surrender.

"Harry, calm down…"

"No one was supposed to find out," Harry spoke in a broken voice. His eyes started to glow and his skin turned pale. "No one was supposed to know."

"What, Harry?"

"Not even I know – I don't – I don't know what happened. I don't remember!"

"Harry, calm down!" Trowa snapped when Harry's breath started coming out in misty puffs and he started shivering. The temperature in the room dropped drastically. "We won't do anything, Harry. You're still a Special Agent. You're still Duo's partner. Une knows. We won't do anything. We just want answers."

"I don't have any!" Harry snapped, squeezed his eyes tightly shut and winced when the lamp exploded and the machines around Harry's bed short-circuited. "I don't have answers! I don't know anything!"

"Harry, calm down!" Trowa snapped.

"What's going on here?!" a nurse ran in and Trowa turned to face her.

"Leave!" Trowa snapped and she looked at him wide eyed. "GO!" she ran out, the door slamming closed behind her, and Trowa turned to look at Harry only to have his breath kicked out of his lungs.

While he was telling the nurse to run, Harry slid down the wall. He wrapped his arms around himself with his eyes squeezed tightly shut. His knees were pulled together with his feet at the sides and Trowa's breath hitched in his throat when it seemed a thin layer of _ice_ started to materialize around Harry's feet.

"Harry, you need to calm down." Trowa kneeled in front of Harry, grabbed his elbows, and shook him lightly.

"You can't tell Duo. Please. I have little time as it is. You can't tell him. Please. You can't tell him. You can't…"

"We didn't tell him, Harry. We told him nothing,." Trowa said but it didn't reach the raven haired man. "Damn it,." Trowa hissed and raised his hands to cup Harry's face. He gasped and froze when Harry's eyes snapped open and emotions and images started flashing through Trowa's mind.

He felt pain, sorrow, fear, angst and terror. His mind was filled with thousands of voices, so quiet he couldn't understand what they were saying. He saw himself, Heero, Wufei, Quatre and Duo. He saw them through Harry's eyes before, during and after the war. He felt the fear Harry felt during the war. He felt the pride Harry felt after the war as they each moved on with their lives. He felt the immense sadness as Harry's memories of Duo rushed in front of his eyes. He felt Harry's worry. He felt Harry's pain, but above all else he felt his love towards Duo.

Trowa saw everything from Harry's perspective up until the moment Duo and Wufei freed him from his icy prison. He gasped in a sharp breath and found himself staring at Harry's pale face and bluish lips. "Harry?" he whispered when he realized what was happening. "Damn it." He looked around, trying to think of a way to snap Harry out of it. His eyes fell on Harry's left shoulder and he swallowed. "I'm sorry for this." He gripped Harry's wounded shoulder tightly, digging his thumb into the wound.

Harry gasped in pain and his eyes cleared almost instantly. "Trowa!" Harry gasped and all of a sudden Trowa was pushed back by a wave of what he supposed was magic. He hit the wall and slid down, his eyes falling on Harry's slumped form.

Harry was gasping for breath as color returned to his skin. He was still shivering and his clothes were sticking to his body. The ice that climbed to his ankles started to melt rapidly and Trowa let go of a sigh of relief. Their eyes met and Trowa shivered when he saw that Harry's eyes were glowing.

"What the hell was that?" Trowa asked and Harry swallowed difficultly.

"That – That happens sometimes." He was shivering madly for the cold and his wet clothes. "I – I don't know what triggers it. But – but I guess you found a good way to stop it."

Trowa frowned, stood up, grabbed the blanket off the bed and rushed over to Harry's side. "You need to change."

Harry smirked weakly. With a gust of warm wind his clothes were dry and Trowa raised an eyebrow at him. Deciding to ignore it for the moment he wrapped the blanket around Harry, and took a seat beside him.

"So we weren't wrong," Trowa said and Harry snorted. His shivering had yet to subside, but at least his lips weren't as blue as they were moments ago.

"I don't remember much," Harry murmured. "I don't remember how I ended up in that ice. I don't remember how I ended up in the past. All I know is – is that I am here with a purpose."

"To save Duo?" Trowa asked and Harry looked at him in surprise. "I felt it. If I'm correct, what I _saw_ and _felt_ was what you've seen and felt when you were trapped in there."

Harry frowned and looked away. "My magic was out of control," he muttered. "If you've touched my bare skin then I could have pulled you in my head accidentally."

Trowa swallowed and nodded his head. "I'm sorry for pushing you into that."

Harry shook his head. "You couldn't have known it would happen. To be perfectly honest it was never this bad," he said and Trowa frowned. "Might be because I'm so worried about Duo that I'm losing focus." He slowly stood up.

"Your shoulder…"

"It doesn't feel like its bleeding." Harry cut him off and Trowa frowned.

"If you're sure."

Harry nodded. He was about to move towards his bed when his phone rang. In his hurry to get to it he tripped. He would have hit the floor had Trowa not caught him. Harry smiled at him before he rushed over to the phone. He frowned at the unfamiliar number and answered the call.

"Agent Potter."

_"Marina speaking."_

Harry frowned and looked at Trowa.

*Duo?* Trowa mouthed and Harry shook his head.

*Contact,* he mouthed back at Trowa.

"I didn't expect you to call this late." Harry said and Marina sighed.

 _"I have some of the information you were asking for,"_ she said and Harry's heart skipped a beat.

"Tell me it's the real estate part." He took a seat heavily. Trowa frowned and walked over to take a seat beside him.

_"It is."_

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "Can you send everything to my mail?" he asked.

_"No problem. Sending it right away."_

"Thank you, Marina. I'm in your debt."

_"Don't mention it. Just catch them."_

"We will. I promise. I'll call you later," he said and ended the call.

"Who are you calling?" Trowa asked. Harry was holding the phone to his ear with his good shoulder while he grabbed the tablet to wait for Marina's mail.

"Duo. Marina found the list of real estates that belong to our suspect." Trowa nodded and Harry cursed under his breath. He threw the tablet on the bed and took the phone into his hand. He ended the call and dialed again. "Why isn't he answering?" he growled.

"When was the last time he called in?" Trowa asked.

"He _didn't,_ " Harry said and dialed again. "I told him to call in. I didn't want to call him in case he found something and the ringing of his phone brought attention to him."

Trowa nodded. "Logical."

"Damn it!" Harry snapped and threw the phone on the bed. "Something must have happened." He started to pace.

"Calm down. He could have left his phone in the car," Trowa reasoned, although he was tense as well.

"Not after last night," Harry said. "His phone lost power and shut down so he couldn't call in. He wouldn't make such a mistake again."

"We can track it with a GPS," Trowa said and Harry nodded.

"I know. But I'm not supposed to go out. They think I'm dead. I could blow this whole mission to bits," Harry said and Trowa frowned.

"I'll go then." Harry looked at his tablet when it beeped, signaling an incoming message. He opened it and frowned.

"That's a lot of addresses," he grumbled. "Couldn't she sort them out?" he thought as he scrolled lower. "Although I shouldn't look a gifted horse in the mouth." He looked at Trowa. "You should go. I'm gonna start on these." Trowa nodded.

"I have the equipment in my car," Trowa said. "You have my number?"

"Yes."

"Call me if you find anything." Harry nodded at that and Trowa turned to walk away.

He was about to open the door when Harry's phone rang again. Harry took it quickly and his breath hitched in his throat.

"Who is it?"

"Duo." Harry answered the call, putting it on speaker immediately. "You should have called hours ago, you idiot!" he snapped and Trowa raised an eyebrow, deciding not to comment on it.

A moment later both frowned when no answer came from the other side.

"Duo?" Harry called out. Both tensed up and paled when low chuckling came from the other side.

_"Tick Tock. Goes the Clock. And what now shall we play? Tick Tock. Goes the Clock; now time is slipping away."_

"Who is this?" Harry growled.

_"Tick Tock. Goes the Clock. And what then shall we see? Tick Tock. Goes the Clock; your love is killing him."_

Harry's eyes widened and his hands started to shake again.

"Harry…"

_"Tick Tock. Goes the Clock. You never should have met him. Tick Tock. Goes the Clock, your mistake will kill him."_

"Stop..." Harry blurted out.

_"Savior, brave and bold; you laughed at fate and played her. Now he'll be sacrificed on her bloody altar."_

"Stop it!"

_"Tick Tock. Goes the Clock, you will never find him. When the Full Moon shines, you will hear him scream."_

"STOP IT!" Harry shouted and laughter came from the other side.

 _"You never should have pulled him into this,_ ** _Harry James Potter_** _."_ Harry's breath hitched in his throat. _"Now he'll pay the price."_ The line broke.

"We need to find him as quickly as possible," Trowa said immediately and looked at Harry. "Harry?"

"I know that voice," he pressed out through his teeth and looked at Trowa. He swallowed and Trowa tensed up when he saw Harry's eyes fill with hatred and red, hot rage. "I know that voice," he growled and everything started to shake again.

"Harry…"

"He will pay." Harry's eyes started to glow acidic green. "He will pay with his _life_!"

**cut**


	11. Verdict First, Trial Later

**cut**

"Anything?" Trowa spoke into the speaker hidden in his collar.

 _"Nothing,"_ Harry's voice came over the com-link. _"There are 5 more houses we haven't checked. Time is running out."_ Trowa cursed and wiped his brow.

They were running out of time. In less than 6 hours, at midnight, the Ritual will be complete, and they had 5 more houses to check out, each at least a half an hour ride away from one another.

"Damn it," Trowa hissed. "Can't you think of anything that would make this quicker?"

Harry was quiet for a few moments. _"I'll need help,"_ he said and Trowa frowned.

"From whom?"

_"Meet me at the local college in half an hour. I'm calling someone in."_

Trowa frowned at that and made his way back to his car. "Will it work?"

 _"It has to,_ " Harry said and Trowa's heart actually clenched at the tone of Harry's voice. _"It has to."_

**cut**

Trowa locked his car and looked at the building of the Nottingham College. The sun was setting and the building looked somewhat intimidating. A second later a car and a bike parked beside him. A woman in her mid twenties got out while Harry pulled off his helmet and mounted off of his bike.

"Trowa, this is Martha. Martha, this is Trowa. Come on," Harry spoke hurriedly and rushed towards the school, leaving the other two no other choice but to follow.

"Can you tell me why you need my help?" Martha asked as they reached the door. "You'll have to find another way in. They lock the…"

"Alohomora!" Harry snapped and the door was flung open.

Martha gaped while Trowa raised an eyebrow. "Magic sure is useful," Trowa muttered and Martha looked at him in shock.

"M-magic?" she looked at Harry only to find him already gone and the two ran after him.

"Evan, what's going on?" Martha asked, "Evan? Harry ?!" she snapped, and Harry stopped in his tracks and turned on his heel, almost bumping into Trowa and Martha.

"Duo was taken by the culprit. I need to find him. For that I need your books," Harry answered in a rush.

"You know who's…"

"I know," Harry said and looked at Trowa. "I just can't believe I was stupid enough not to act on my instincts right away."

Trowa frowned. "Let's find Duo first and then we'll take care of everything else, alright?" Harry nodded and looked at Martha.

"Martha, I need a book with either tracking rituals or locating rituals; even a retrieving ritual would do, but I need it right away."

Martha frowned and looked at the floor. A moment later she started to walk towards her office. "I've never read anything similar to what you're asking for, but I _do_ have something interesting."

"Martha…"

"The man who sent me one of the first books I gave you, that Longbottom man, I contacted him a few days back. Just yesterday he sent me a few more books. He didn't tell me anything, but I've tried to read through those books. I couldn't. I couldn't even figure out in which language they are written." They reached her office and entered. She walked over to her table while Harry and Trowa looked around. She picked up a heavy looking package and looked at Harry before she opened it. "So," she said and Harry frowned at her.

"What?"

"Magic is real. This – This _Ritual_ they are trying to perform will actually work."

"I don't know if it will work," Harry said. "It's Necromancy. It goes against everything and anything left sacred in this world. Even if they manage to open to Gates of Gehenna to summon whatever they are trying to summon, no one knows what will come out. There is a reason Necromancy is not only frowned upon, but forbidden as well."

Martha frowned and looked at the package. "And what about you?" Harry raised an eyebrow while Trowa looked at him with interest. "What are you?"

"I don't know," Harry said and Martha raised an eyebrow at him. "I think it's obvious that I'm a Wizard, but _who_ I am? I only know my name, and that I've spent one hell of a lot of time trapped within _something_. Now." He shot Martha a pointed stare. "The books."

Martha sighed and opened the package. She took out three big, ancient looking tomes and placed them on her table. Harry immediately ran over and turned the tomes towards himself.

"What in the name of Merlin?" he whispered as he opened the books. He glanced at Martha and Trowa before he started flipping the pages.

"Martha, this…"

"I have no idea what this is," she cut Harry off. "I've never seen anything like it."

"This is over 2000 years old!" Harry said. "And this language – It's been dead since – since _before_ the Roman and Greek Empires!" he flipped through the pages, his fingers caressing the letters on top of each page.

"Can you read it?" Trowa asked and Harry snorted.

"Of course I can read it," Harry grunted. "I've practically spent Merlin knows how much time as part of this world. There is no language, dead or alive, that I don't understand or can't read," Harry murmured and put the first tome aside while Trowa and Martha looked at one another with raised eyebrows. Harry growled as he flipped through the pages of the second tome.

"Will you need anything?" Trowa asked and Harry flipped another page.

"Chalk and four square meters of space," Harry said and flipped another page.

Trowa and Martha exchanged a glance. "I'll find some chalk," Martha said and ran out of the room.

"I guess I'll make some space." Trowa muttered and looked around.

"Not here," Harry murmured and Trowa looked at him with a raised eyebrow. Harry was frowning as he traced written lines with his right index finger.

Trowa moved closer and frowned when he looked at the strange circle drawn at the bottom of the page. "It that it?"

Harry swallowed and nodded. "Yeah," he murmured and Trowa looked at him.

"Is something wrong?"

"No. I have everything I need," Harry said and Trowa saw that his finger lingered on one faded word.

"What does it say?" Trowa asked and Harry raised his head. In that moment Martha ran in with a box of white chalk.

"Found it."

"Good. I need you to take me to the roof," Harry said and Martha nodded. She turned around and ran out of the room closely followed by Harry and Trowa.

"Why didn't you try this sooner?" Trowa asked as they climbed the stairs towards the roof.

"Because my magic is out of control," Harry explained. "I don't have a wand to channel it. Little things I can do, but things usually explode when I try something bigger. That spell was supposed to _unlock_ the door, not slam them open. Bigger things require more concentration and more often than not I lose control and it leaves me weak for an hour or so." Trowa frowned as they reached a door and Martha tried to open them.

"Harry…"

"Move." Harry cut her off and moved forward. The door all but flew out of its hinges and Martha and Trowa raised eyebrows.

"I see your point," Trowa muttered as they followed Harry out. The man turned on his heel a few times, looking around frantically.

"North, north, north, north," he muttered constantly as he tried to orient himself.

"This way," Trowa said and pointed north.

Harry nodded and walked into the middle of the patio on the roof. He looked around again, and Martha gasped when the box of chalk flew out of her hands and Harry caught them in his. He got down on his knees and placed the box of chalk beside himself. He took one out and started to write something on the ground.

Martha and Trowa could only stand to the side and watch as Harry worked. Half an hour later they were staring at a large circle. Strange symbols marked South, North, East and West. In the middle of the big circle was a smaller circle, and four lines of those symbols marked North-East, North-West, South-East and South-West. Harry stood up and winced as he rotated his injured shoulder.

"What now?" Martha asked.

"Now we pray it works," Harry muttered and carefully walked into the middle of the circle. Martha and Trowa jumped to the side as the tome suddenly darted between them and straight in Harry's hands.

They stared in wonder as the book started flipping pages on its own and levitated above Harry's hands. Harry pushed his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small see through bag. Trowa frowned when Harry pulled out a few long, brown strands of hair.

'Duo's hair?' Trowa thought. 'He must have known he would need them. But where did he get them?' Harry placed the strands of hair on the open pages of the book, straightened and swallowed.

"Lam náre lee cer ortháe lee, Quéno do uth Quenomé!" he spoke in a strong voice, and to Martha's and Trowa's surprise the circle under his feet started to shine.

They looked around when the air filled with the scent of ice and snow, and the temperature dropped a little.

"Xúre látham órtho órthea. Resé lam," Harry spoke and his clothes started to dance around him as the wind picked up speed.

The symbols suddenly rose from the ground and started to circle around Harry.

"Lósce umin dárue. Hárthe xar umin lam céye lim. Resé lam!" the book moved away from Harry and the strands of Duo's hair caught fire.

They burned sapphire blue and the symbols dancing around Harry started to spin quicker. Martha whimpered and Trowa pulled her against his side as the wind picked up speed.

"Lam náre lee cer ortháe lee, Ekhárte do uth! Hárthe xar lam dáru! Hárthe xar lam céye lim! Resé lam!"

Trowa and Martha squeezed their eyes tightly shut when light blinded them.

Moments later it was over and their hearts clenched once they opened their eyes and looked at Harry.

The man was on his knees, his clothes were smoking, he was breathing as though he ran a marathon and he was clenching something to his chest.

"Harry…" Trowa's breath hitched in his throat when Harry moved his hand from his chest and a mercury like strand glimmered in front of him, going off into the distance.

Harry chuckled and raised his head. Trowa couldn't help but shiver when he saw the look on Harry's face. It was a grin that promised a world of pain. Harry stood up, raised his right hand and a drop of blood appeared on his fingers when he touched the strand that seemed to start in his heart. "Gotcha."

**cut**

"Damn it!" Trowa cursed when he had to take another sharp turn. Harry was speeding on his bike, breaking every single rule in the book, and Trowa had some trouble keeping up with him.

Whatever that strand was it seemed to be leading Harry to where Duo was, and Trowa hoped as hell it was so, because the clock was ticking. His phone rang and he answered it.

"Barton," he snapped and swallowed another curse.

_"I called the police! They said you should call them the moment you get there and to not do anything until reinforcements come."_

"By the time they get there the ritual will be done already!"

 _"Then don't wait for them, for all I care!"_ Martha snapped. _"Just get this over with before Harry kills himself!"_

Trowa snorted and took another sharp turn. "We'll call you when it's over," he said and ended the call. Harry suddenly slowed down and Trowa followed him to a stop. Harry got off of his bike and took off his helmet. He reached into the storage and pulled out a .45 and a few magazines. Trowa got out of his car and ran over to Harry.

"We'll have to go on foot from here," Harry said and checked the bullets in his gun. "You armed?" Trowa nodded. "Let's go."

"Martha talked to the police. They want us to wait," Trowa said, but followed after Harry never the less.

"They can choke on it for all I care," Harry grumbled as he led Trowa through the forest. They were keeping low as they walked through the woods, listening closely to every sound.

"What the…" Trowa muttered when Harry stopped and pulled him down. They were hiding behind a bush, right behind the fence of an ancient looking cemetery.

"I didn't know there was another old cemetery in this town," Trowa hissed and Harry hummed. He looked around with a small frown.

"That's because this is a Wizarding cemetery, and not only that," he said and pointed up at the mansion on top of a hill, looming over the cemetery. "It's a private cemetery, and I'll bet you a 100 it belongs to our culprit," Harry growled. He pulled out his gun as he looked around, and Trowa frowned when the mercury strand started to fade. "Let's go. We have only half an hour left," Harry said and Trowa nodded.

They jumped the fence and keeping low to the ground made their way towards the mansion.

'Hold on, Duo. We're coming. Hold on.'

**cut**

Duo coughed as he slowly woke up. His mouth was dry, his head ached like _fuck,_ and he really, _really_ wanted to kill someone.

"You're finally awake."

Duo opened his eyes slowly and looked at the man he hated more than he ever hated anything in the world. "Derek," he bit out and Derek smirked at him. " _God_ , how I hate you," Duo growled and tugged on the shackles around his wrists. He could hardly move. His whole body was heavy for some reason.

Derek chuckled and walked over to kneel in front of Duo. "You know…" he murmured and gently caressed Duo's cheek with the back of his fingers. "I'm almost sorry for needing to do this, but I don't have a choice, you know? You're the perfect sacrifice next to _him_." Duo frowned at that. His brain was fuzzy, his sight blurry, and he was barely keeping himself awake.

"Him?" he mumbled.

"Yeah. Your partner. I never thought it would be possible for two True Heroes to exist at the same time, but I suppose it's some kind of cosmic karma. Only a True Hero can love a True Hero."

"What are you…"

"Not that it will matter to you," Derek stated, and although his expression turned sad, his eyes shone with madness. "It's a pity. I would have loved to have gotten the chance to have you for myself." Duo felt bile rise in his throat. "But in 15 minutes you'll be dead. I'll just have to settle for someone less perfect than you, _Duo Maxwell._ " The shackles fell and Derek grabbed Duo by his braid and pulled him up. Duo wanted to fight him, he really did, but his body was so heavy.

'Harry!' he thought and his heart ached. 'Please. Hurry!' he was dragged into a huge room. 12 unconscious girls were hanging by their hands above a huge pentagram. In the middle of it was an altar with a big cauldron in front of it, big enough to fit a grown man. He saw Derek's brothers already waiting for them. Duo tried to struggle, but the more he did, the weaker he felt. They tied him up on the altar and he almost puked when Derek bowed down and stole a kiss from him.

"I just want you to know that you're not dying in vain. You're dying so that a great man would come back. A great Wizard who will change this world. Only the worthy will inhabit it, and those who aren't will be put in their rightful places as servants of the worthy."

"You're insane," Duo managed to bite out and Derek chuckled. He straightened and walked out of the line of Duo's sight.

"Let's begin brothers! Midnight is upon us!"

Duo squeezed his eyes tightly shut, trying to think of a way to set himself free. 'No!' he thought and desperately pulled on his binds. Derek's brothers took their places on each side of the altar while Derek stood in front of him, a strange stick in one hand and a knife in the other. He started chanting something in a language Duo couldn't understand. Jonah and Dave took their knives and moved towards the girls hanging over the huge pentagram.

'No!' Duo thought and squeezed his eyes tightly shut. Of all the times for him to be helpless...

"The hour is upon us!" Derek shouted with an insane grin on his face. He was about to say something when the door shook. Duo turned his head to the side and his heart skipped a beat.

"Derek?" Jonah called out.

"Hurry up!" Derek snapped and started chanting again. The door shook again, and Jonah and Dave moved towards the girls. They placed their knives on the throats of the first two as the door shook for the third time.

"NO!" Duo shouted as the doors flew out of their hinges. Two gunshots echoed through the night and Dave and Jonah fell on the ground, dead.

"NO!" Derek screamed and Duo breathed a sigh of relief when he caught sight of Harry and Trowa.

"You made the mistake when you called me to brag, _Derek Malfoy_!" Harry snapped with his gun aimed at Derek who was growling at him with eyes flashing threateningly.

"You will pay for this," he growled and swung his blade. Derek screamed when Trowa shot his hand and the blade embedded itself beside Duo's head, making his breath hitch in his throat.

"Step back from him, Derek!" Harry snapped with his gun steadily aimed at Derek. The moment Derek took a few steps back Trowa rushed over and quickly undid Duo's shackles with the skill of a former thief.

"Good ta see ya, Tro," Duo murmured weakly as Trowa picked him up. It didn't take long for the ginger haired man to figure out that Duo was drugged to the point of not being able to move.

"Take him out of here!" Harry ordered still holding Derek at gun point. "He's mine."

"Harry…"

"I'll be fine, Duo. Go," Harry interrupted Duo, and Trowa started leading Duo out of the room.

"You're not going anywhere!"

"Duo! Trowa!" Harry shouted but it was too late. The two were flung forward. Duo hit the wall and fell on the ground unconscious, while Trowa grunted and winced as invisible bindings appeared around his body, holding him in place.

Harry growled, his eyes glowed and he lowered his gun. His eyes fell on the wand in Derek's hand and hatred filled his heart.

"You recognize this?" Derek spoke with a mocking grin.

Harry sneered at him and straightened as he placed his gun back into his holster. "That wand doesn't belong to you," Harry spoke.

"Ah. But it answers to me just fine," Derek said and rounded the altar. "You see, _you_ might be its real master, but _I_ have been wielding it for several years now. Ever since I found it in my great-grandfather's secret room. I only had to _look_ at it to know it is the infamous Elder Wand, the strongest wand in existence, last owned by none other than _Harry James Potter_ , the Savior of the Wizarding World. The _Savior_ that vanished into thin air and who stands in front of me right now." Derek chuckled. "Honestly I thought you'd be more…"

"More?" Harry growled when Derek hesitated, only for the maniac to snicker at him.

"Simply _more,_ " he said and raised the wand, his face turning into an emotionless mask. "It will be easy to kill you."

Harry snorted and his eyes glowed. "I'm not that easy to kill," he growled, and his clothes and hair started to dance in a strong wind that suddenly appeared in the room.

Trowa could only watch in complete and utter fascination. He glanced at Duo's prone form and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw no blood around him. Trying to move Trowa managed to roll onto his side. He looked at Harry and found the two at a standstill. Ever so slowly, Trowa started to edge towards Duo.

"Die!" Derek shouted and a green light flew towards Harry. The Preventer dodged and charged at Derek, and Trowa had to try hard to concentrate on reaching Duo. The battle that was going on right in front of him was terrifying and awe inspiring at the same time. He finally reached Duo and nudged him with his shoulder.

"Duo? Duo, wake up!" Trowa hissed.

"Why don't you just die?!" Derek screamed and Trowa looked at Derek and Harry. He frowned when he saw Harry's pale complexion and the shadows over his eyes, but Harry was still fighting.

And it seemed like he was winning.

"Sectumsempra!" Harry roared and Derek screamed.

Trowa gasped out a breath when the invisible binds around his body vanished and he could move again. "Duo!" he snapped and shook his friend trying to wake him up.

Duo groaned lowly and slowly opened his eyes. "Trowa?"

"Come on. We need to get out of here." Trowa picked Duo up slowly.

"What the…" Duo mumbled, looking at Harry with unfocused eyes.

"CRUCIO!" Harry roared and Derek fell on the ground, screaming as thought someone was tearing him apart. "That's for all the innocent lives you took," Harry growled.

Derek screamed harder as the green light grew brighter.

"That's for shooting _me_."

Derek's voice broke and the spell stopped.

Duo and Trowa watched in shock as Harry walked over to Derek. The wand flew out of Derek's twitching fingers and into Harry's hand, and he pointed it at the simpering man.

"And this is for Duo," Harry bit out. "AVADA KEDAVRA!" Trowa bowed over Duo when the bright green light shone from the wand and covered both of their heads with his arms.

Once it was all done, and the light disappeared, Trowa raised his head and looked at Harry.

The man stood in his place looking at him and Duo with an unreadable darkness in his eyes. It could have been described as pain filled, sad and brokenhearted, and yet not one of those could give that look justice.

Duo slowly pushed himself up, ignoring Trowa's call and attempts to help him. Harry swallowed and bowed his head.

"Harry?"

The room started spinning again, and Duo knew he was close to fainting. 'Maybe I never even woke up. Maybe all of this is a dream.'

"Harry…"

"Duo!" Harry shouted and ran forward when Duo lost his footing and started to fall. He caught Duo in his arms and winced when his wounded shoulder was pulled, but ignored it in favor of focusing on Duo.

"Harry…"

"It'll be fine, Duo," Harry whispered as he cradled Duo to his chest with his right arm and brushed his left hand through Duo's hair. Trowa was on the phone calling the ambulance and the police, but Harry could hear nothing of what he was talking about. Duo's eyes were looking at him with confusion and – and betrayal.

"Harry…"

"Please, don't hate me, Duo," Harry whispered brokenly as tears filled his eyes. "Please don't hate me."

Duo could hardly understand what Harry was talking about. He was so close to fainting, and he wanted to. He wanted to fall asleep and for everything to be over and done with when he woke up. His eyes started to close and Harry's heart skipped a beat.

"Duo?" Duo's eyes closed and he relaxed in Harry's arms. "DUO!"

**cut**

"About time you woke up."

Duo frowned and looked around. He was in the hospital, in a comfortable bed, and when he looked to the side, he found Quatre sitting beside him with Trowa and Wufei in the back.

"Guys?" Duo muttered and slowly pushed himself up. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, since Harry had to go back to hand in a report to Une…" the moment Quatre mentioned Harry, Duo winced and grabbed his head. He groaned as memories of what happened flashed through his mind.

"Duo? Duo?!" Quatre cried out and took a seat on Duo's bed, grabbing his shoulders to steady him.

Duo's eyes snapped open and he looked at Trowa. "What happened?" he bit out and Trowa looked at Wufei.

"We don't think you're ready yet to…"

"What happened?!" Duo roared. "Why was Harry – and what was – what the hell is going on?!" the three exchanged glances full of worry, before Trowa stood up and walked over to the bedside table. He took the tablet off of it and gave it to Duo.

"This should answer a lot of your questions about Harry," Trowa said and Duo took the tablet from him with a frown.

"But just keep in mind that he's still Harry," Quatre warned and Duo looked at him. He swallowed heavily and clicked on the icon under which 'Harry Evans-Potter' was written.

Trowa, Wufei and Quatre exchanged a glance.

This could get ugly.

**cut**

"Are you sure?" Une asked, looking at the resignation papers Harry just handed in.

"I am," Harry stated dully, and Une looked up at him with a frown. His eyes were dark, his skin was pale. He looked like a man tired of life; tired of everything.

"You know that I won't say anything to anyone. You are one of the best Agents Preventers have. You don't have to…"

"I do," Harry cut her off. He was looking straight ahead, avoiding looking in Une's eyes. "I did what I was sent here to do. I've done my job. I'm sorry, Commander, but it has to be this way."

Une frowned when she saw the subtle coiling of Harry's muscles. "What about Maxwell?" she asked and a nerve beside Harry's right eye twitched and his lips pressed into a thin line.

"Give him a break occasionally," he spoke in a strained voice. "And – and find him a partner who won't fail him." Harry saluted Une and turned to leave.

"Potter…"

"I'm sorry, Commander Une. Good bye," Harry said and left Une's office. He walked down the hallway with his head bowed and eyes pointed at the ground.

"Harry?" he heard Heero's call, but continued on. He rushed into the elevator and looked up just as the door started to close. His eyes met Heero's and the Japanese man's eyes widened when he saw Harry's eyes.

"I'm sorry," Harry said just as the doors closed. He leaned back against the wall and fisted his right hand in his shirt over his heart.

'It's over, Harry. Now you just need to gather enough strength to leave,' he thought. A single tear trailed down his cold cheek. It turned to ice just before it touched the ground and broke into millions of sand-like, glimmering tears.

'I'm so sorry, Duo. I'm so sorry.'

**cut**

"You should be home," Une looked up at Duo. Just yesterday he was released from the hospital with a clean bill of health, and now he was standing in front of her.

"The guys showed me everything. They also told me _why_ you didn't inform me of everything right away. Now, I want to know where he is." Une frowned at him. "Our office is empty. Where is he?" the tone of Duo's voice left no room for argument, and his usually violet eyes were practically black with rage.

"He handed in his resignation papers yesterday."

Duo frowned at that, and Une thought she saw something resembling panic in Duo's eyes. A second later, he turned on his heel and left her office without another word.

Une sighed and rubbed her forehead with her right hand. "Damn them," she muttered. "Even _more_ paperwork."

**cut**

"He handed in his resignation paper," Duo spoke a second after he slammed the door to Quatre's home-office open.

"What?" Quatre asked and stood up.

"He's leaving!" Duo cried out as he paced. He brushed his bangs back with his right hand, and bit into his bottom lip. "He knows we know. He must know that you've told me everything. Une just told me he handed in his resignation papers yesterday. He's leaving!"

Quatre frowned and took a seat at his table. "Maybe he's not leaving because he wants to, Duo. Maybe he's leaving because he _has_ to."

"He _has_ a _choice_ , Quatre! Instead of staying here and facing this mess, he's leaving!"

"Duo, you heard what Trowa said, what happened when he faced Harry! If you take into consideration everything we know about him, I think we can freely conclude that he's here on borrowed time. He was set free from that ice so that he could defeat Derek and his brothers. The way _I_ see it, he did what he was sent here to do. That testimony…"

"Quatre, you _do_ understand that I'm still trying to get my grips over all of this?" Duo blurted out frantically. "Five days ago magic was just something out of stories and legends! Five days ago Harry was just a damn good Preventer I was working with!"

"A damn good Preventer you _slept_ with," Quatre corrected him. Duo blushed brightly and continued pacing. "Harry is _still_ a damn good Preventer Agent. He just has a _complicated_ past."

"A complicated past?" Duo repeated and snorted. "He's a damn _Wizard_! You didn't see it, Quatre! You didn't see it when he fought Derek! I thought I was still dreaming! I thought I was unconscious! He's a damn 300 year old _Wizard_! I _slept_ with a 300 year old _Wizard_!"

Quatre rolled his eyes. "A 300 year old Wizard you care about and whom you _need_ whether you want to admit it or not."

Duo stopped pacing and looked at Quatre with wide eyes.

Quatre frowned at Duo and slowly stood up. "Duo?"

"I need him," Duo murmured in amazement, and Quatre's frown deepened when Duo heavily took a seat in the closest chair. "But – But he _lied_ to me."

"He couldn't lie to you if he didn't remember anything, Duo."

"But he _knew_ …"

"And simply avoided to tell you," Quatre cut him off. "You never asked the right questions, Duo. I think you know the difference between lying and not telling since you've practically _perfected_ that art."

Duo snorted and hid his face in his hands.

Quatre sighed and walked over to kneel in front of Duo, and he placed his hands on Duo's knees. "Do you remember what Trowa said? About that time he was pulled into Harry's mind?" Duo looked up and his eyes met Quatre's. "He _loves you_ , Duo." Duo swallowed difficultly and his eyes darkened. "He loves you. I wouldn't be surprised if all of this happened because of you; because he came out of that ice for _you_."

"It doesn't matter," Duo mourned. "If our deductions are right, he's gonna go back to that."

"Not if you stop him," Quatre said and Duo's froze up. "He _loves_ you, Duo."

"But I don't…"

"Bullshit!" Quatre snapped and Duo flinched back. "Don't you dare lie to me, Duo Maxwell! You can lie to yourself all you want, but not to me! Don't you remember that I can feel it?! You were attracted to him the moment you met him; you _liked_ him before you left for that mission, and you're _damn well in love with him_ _now_!"

Duo's breath caught in his throat.

"I'd bet my entire fortune that you've been in love with him for a good part of the mission, but _you_ , Duo Maxwell, are a _fucking expert_ in lying and denying yourself what you want and damn well _deserve_!"

Duo swallowed and a small smile tilted his lips. "Gee, Quat," he muttered in a broken, raspy voice. "I don't remember if I've ever heard you curse like that."

Quatre rolled his eyes and stood up, brushing his hair back with his hands. "You are a right idiot, Duo," he murmured and turned to look at Duo. "He _loves_ you. He _needs_ you. You weren't awake when Wufei and I came to the hospital. He and Trowa were with you in your room and he looked _devastated_. He left only when he was sure that all three of us would be there with you. I could _feel it_ , Duo. He _loves you_. He _doesn't want this_. And here you're _still_ denying that you need him and love him just as much."

"I don't even know him…"

"Yes, you do!" Quatre cried out, frustrated enough to _almost_ want to pull his hair out. "You know enough! You _knew_ enough to fall in love with him!"

Duo looked away from Quatre. His heart was breaking, and he couldn't breathe. It felt as though a huge mountain settled on his back. The very thought that Harry would be gone hurt something awful. 'But he lied to me. He lied. Everything was a lie.'

Quatre sighed when he felt Duo's dilemma. "A Hero will always, _always_ be alone, because no one can ever truly love a Hero," he recited and Duo looked at him wide-eyed. "They love his fame, they love his accomplishments and they love the idea of holding the Hero's love. But no one can ever truly love a Hero. Harry will come back because he _is_ a true Hero; because no one ever loved him for who he is. No one ever saw who he truly was. Until the time someone finally _sees_ that, Harry will remain a Hero. He will remain alone. And he will always, _always_ come back in the Earth's darkest hour."

"So…" Duo gulped and looked at his hands which he clasped in his lap. "So, he needs someone to – to…"

"Not just to need him, Duo," Quatre whispered. "He needs someone to love him. He needs someone to love him more than the world will ever need him. There will be other Heroes. Others will come, but for as long as there is no other True Hero. If you think about it, the world was in need back during the wars, but he didn't come back then because _we_ were there. We risked everything to bring peace to the world. He came back when _we_ wouldn't be enough to save the world. If Derek and his brothers succeeded we would have something on our hands we would never be able to defeat. Something more powerful than anything we've ever seen. Harry is a True Hero; an honest to heart True Hero. And he is ready to suffer centuries of loneliness until another great evil arrives just to fight it and go back to being alone again. I could _feel_ it, Duo. I could feel his sorrow and pain. He _doesn't want to leave,_ " he stressed out.

"But why is he leaving then?" Duo asked and looked at Quatre desperately, and the blonde's heart ached at that.

"Because the world will need him again, and not to leave he needs someone who will need him more than the world ever will. He needs someone who will love him more than the world will ever need him. And you do, Duo. You just don't want to admit it."

Duo's heart ached so hard he thought it would stop beating.

_...no one ever loved him for who he is..._

"What should I do, Quat?" Duo asked and Quatre walked over to him. He offered Duo his right hand and Duo took it in his left hesitatingly, allowing Quatre to pull him up.

_...no one ever loved him for who he is..._

"Go to him. Talk to him," Quatre said and let go of Duo's hand. "See to it that he stays."

Duo nodded and turned towards the door. Once he reached it he looked at Quatre over his left shoulder. "What if it's not enough?"

Quatre's eyes filled with sadness. "Then you'll lose him forever."

**cut**

Harry wiped his brow with his shaking right hand. He was alright for the moment, but he knew he wouldn't be alright pretty soon. He could feel it.

'Just two more rooms, Harry,' he thought to himself as he went back to cleaning.

He didn't want to leave anything behind; no trace of DNA, no trace of anything. He already had it arranged with Martha for the books he and Duo used during that mission to be burned. There were other books in the world, but at least they would be harder to find.

It hurt.

It hurt thinking about Duo.

It hurt because he thought he would be able to disappear from Duo's life easily.

He knew that there was a chance that he and Duo would never get a chance to be together.

Now he was sure of it.

Now that Duo found out he would hate him.

Hate Harry for not telling him.

Hate Harry for being something that no longer has a place in this world.

Harry finished with the bedroom floor and stood up, only to sway in his place as a wave of cold sweat covered him.

He took a deep breath and stood still for a moment.

He was shaken from his thoughts when someone knocked hard on the front door.

He frowned and slowly made his way down.

His right hand trembled over the knob and his breath hitched in his throat. He slowly opened the door and his heart stopped beating for a second. "Duo…" he gasped looking in Duo's wide eyes.

"Harry?" he whispered, taking in Harry's pale skin, the dark circles under his eyes and his shaking limbs. "Damn it, what happened to you?"

Harry gulped. "Duo, what are you – what are you doing here?" Harry asked tiredly and Duo's eyes hardened.

"I came to talk to you."

Harry glanced over his left shoulder at the hallway filled with boxes, ready to be taken to the closest second hand shop. "Now is not the best…"

"Either you'll move and let me in or I'll move you myself, which with the state you're in won't be all that hard," Duo cut him off sharply and Harry looked at him for a second.

He sighed and took a step to the side. Duo nodded at him and walked in, only to stop in his tracks. He swallowed difficultly and walked past the boxes and into the living room.

"I'd offer you something to drink but I don't have anything," Harry said as he entered the living room and heavily took a seat in the closest armchair.

Duo swallowed and took a seat on the couch. He looked at Harry and his heart clenched when he saw him sitting low in the armchair, his right elbow braced on the armrest and his right hand covering his eyes, while his left arm rested on the left armrest, his fingers gripping it tightly.

"I know everything," Duo stated and Harry lowered his trembling hand to look at him. "Trowa filled me up on what happened after I was taken. I've read your old file, I've seen the footage." Harry nodded with his eyes focused on the tea-table. "You lied to me. From the very start, all you've ever done was lie to me and my friends."

Harry looked at him tiredly. "I thought if anyone would know the difference between lying and 'not telling' it would be you, Duo," Harry said and Duo frowned at him. "I never lied to you. I have no memories of what happened. I remember practically _nothing_ from before being trapped in that cold _hell_ …"

"Trowa told me what he saw, Harry!" Duo snapped at him. "He told me what happened when you relapsed again. He told me…"

"It means nothing, Duo!" Harry cried out and stood up. He fought the dizziness as he started to pace, gripping the bridge of his nose with his right thumb and index finger.

"It means _everything_!" Duo roared and jumped to his feet. "It means that the only reason you came here was to _save the world_! It's means that I was nothing but a damn tool…"

"Don't you say that!" Harry thundered and rounded on Duo, making the braided man's breath hitch in his throat when he saw the anger and desperation in Harry's eyes. "I _never_ lied to you, Duo! Not _once_! I _knew_ I was sent to the past! I knew, because _I did that_! I did that because I wanted to become someone in this world! I did that so that one day I would be able to stand in front of you as your equal! I fought and bled so that one day I would be able to look into your eyes as something _more_ than a pile of distorted thoughts and emotions! I was brought back to stop Derek and his brothers, but not _once_ did I think of that, because ever since I woke up in that hospital, my one and _only_ thought was _you!_ "

Duo could only stare at him in shock. Harry swallowed and seemed to pull in on himself. He looked away from Duo and crossed his arms over his chest. He was shivering harder than he was before.

"So everything you told me – the night we spent together…"

" _I love you,_ " Harry stressed out and Duo's breath hitched in his throat. "I fell in love with you a long, _long_ time ago. I watched over you - I _cared_ even when I was trapped in that – that _place_. I risked _everything_ for you, even though I _knew_ that in the end it would mean _nothing_. My only thought was to get to you - get you to see that you're not what you think you are, that you're more, _so much more_ , not only to – to _me_ , but to a lot of other people. I knew I wasn't given nearly enough time, but I thought that maybe…"

"What are you talking about?" Duo whispered weakly and took a hesitant step forward, "Time?"

Harry swallowed difficultly and looked around the room. Duo followed his gaze and his heart clenched.

"You're leaving," he stated. "You're actually leaving."

"I don't have a choice, Duo," Harry muttered brokenly as he wrapped his arms around his waist tighter, and Duo's eyes hardened.

"You're running away. Instead of staying here so that we could _deal_ with this…" Duo stopped when Harry chuckled weakly.

"There is no dealing with this, Duo. I'm not leaving because I want to…"

"Of course you are!" Duo snapped. "You're a coward, _Potter!_ Your little secret got out and now you're running…"

"I don't have a choice!" Harry cried out and two lamps in the room and the TV in the corner blew up.

Duo tensed up when Harry swayed in his place, breathing as if he ran a mile. He grew even paler and if Duo looked close enough he could see the way Harry's breath colored with every exhale. The data he read on Harry, everything they went through and Trowa's recounting of what happened in Harry's room back at the hospital suddenly slammed into Duo's mind.

"You're relapsing," he muttered as realization finally hit him, and Harry looked at him. Harry's knees threatened to fail him but he was determined to remain on his feet. "You're – you're going back to…"

"Duo…"

"Harry!" Duo snapped and jumped over the table to catch Harry as the man lost the battle against weakness and fell forward. Duo led him over to the closest armchair and helped him sit down before he kneeled in front of him. Duo's left hand brushed against Harry's right and he hissed at the coldness of Harry's skin. He looked at Harry's face only to find him looking at the tea-table. "Harry, why is this happening?"

"I've done what I was supposed to do," Harry murmured quietly as his unfocused eyes stared at the tea-table behind Duo who unconsciously covered Harry's knees with his hands. "I've stopped them from bringing back an evil that would destroy this world. My time here is running out."

"What the fuck are you doing?!" Duo snapped when Harry tried to stand up and jumped to his feet to glare down at the heavily breathing Wizard.

"Why are you still here, Duo?" Harry asked in a broken voice and Duo started a bit when Harry looked up at him. "There's nothing for you here. Given enough time you'll forget about me. You'll find someone who'll love you; someone who won't _lie_ to you." His voice turned bitter, and his whole body started to tremble.

_...no one ever loved him for who he is..._

Harry sighed and slowly stood up, and Duo looked at Harry's hunched back as he walked towards the hallway.

_...no one ever loved him for who he is..._

"Leave, Duo. Please don't make this harder on me than it already is," Harry begged and Duo slowly stood up.

_...no one ever loved him for who he is..._

"Harry, why are you leaving? Why aren't you fighting this?" Duo asked. The words from that testimony constantly ran through his mind.

"Duo…"

"Don't brush me off!" Duo all but screamed and Harry tensed up. "You say you never lied to me! Tell me the truth!" the Gundam Pilot heaved as Harry glanced at him over his left shoulder with dead eyes.

"Because I don't belong here," Harry murmured, and Duo's breath hitched in his throat. "I am a Savior. I am a Hero. I fight and then rest until another evil comes, and then I fight again. I have no place in this world. I died for it too many times," Harry recited dully, and even though he was looking at Duo, the braided man had a feeling Harry wasn't seeing him.

"But why can't you stay?" Duo asked weakly and Harry looked away from him. He fisted his hands by his sides, and bowed his head.

"Because the world will need a Hero one day again, and there's no one who would want me to stay not because I'm a hero, but because they l – because they need me." Harry corrected himself quickly making Duo frown.

That which he didn't want to name burst in Duo's heart and his knees felt week.

_...no one ever loved him for who he is..._

"What if I told you that I need you?" Duo asked before he could think about it and tensed when Harry snorted.

"You don't need me, Duo," Harry drawled bitterly and turned his back fully on Duo. "You don't need me." Duo frowned when he felt as though that wasn't what Harry wanted to say. "You should go, Duo. I have a few more things to pack before I can leave. Go and forget about me." Harry walked into the hallway, and Duo's heart broke.

_...no one ever loved him for who he is..._

"Wha…" Harry suddenly found himself slammed against the closest wall, with Duo's mouth on his, stealing his breath away. Duo's hands were in his hair, Duo's groin was rubbing against his, his warmth was around him, and his scent was smothering him.

"You're not leaving," Duo growled against Harry's lips and Harry's breath caught in his throat when Duo pulled his shirt out of his pants and pulled it over his head only to slam his lips against Harry's again. Harry's hands flew up and he cupped Duo's face between them, kissing him back with just as much passion.

Harry's heart broke and he squeezed his eyes tightly shut when Duo wrapped his arms around his waist as though he would never let him go. "Duo, please – please don't…"

"You are an idiot, _Harry James Potter,_ " Duo bit out as he buried his nose in Harry's neck.

Harry's breath hitched in his throat when Duo flicked his hips against his, creating that sweet, sweet friction.

"You're an idiot if you think that after everything we went thought I'll just sit aside and let you go."

"Duo, don't…" Duo kissed Harry again and something broke inside the wizard.

Duo hissed in pain when he found himself slammed against a wall, and Harry stumbled back and leaned against the opposite one. If he wasn't leaning against it his knees would have given up on him.

"Harry…"

"Why are you doing this, Duo?" Harry whispered weakly. His eyes were glowing, his arms and legs were shaking, the bullet wound on his shoulder was showing signs of strain, and although his skin was almost deathly pale, and his lips were turning blue, his cheeks were rosy. "Why are you making this so difficult?"

Duo swallowed difficulty and pushed away from the wall. His heart broke when Harry slid down the wall weakly, and fisted his hands in his hair as he bent his knees and pulled his legs close to his chest. "Why are you doing this to me?" Harry asked in a broken, wavering voice.

_...no one ever loved him for who he is..._

Duo's knees threatened to betray him as he took a small step towards Harry.

"I know I hid things from you, I know I – I hurt you, but…" Harry looked up at Duo weakly and Duo fell on his knees in front of Harry. "I don't deserve this. I don't…"

"You do," Duo murmured and slowly crawled over to Harry.

The temperature in the hall dropped drastically and Harry's breath hitched in his throat as his hands unclenched and fell to his sides to rest limply on the floor, and his legs slid apart. Duo crawled between Harry's legs, cupped Harry's face between warm hands, and rested his forehead on Harry's. "You do, because you thought I would just give up on you. I told you once, Potter. I don't do one night stands," Duo muttered and Harry choked up on air. He was shivering madly in Duo's arms.

"Duo, I can't – I need to – I can't stay here," Harry whispered and Duo moved back a little when he felt something tickle against his legs. He looked around and his heart stopped when he saw a thin layer of ice climbing up Harry's legs.

"Harry, what's going on?" Duo asked and looked at Harry. The Wizard's eyes have grown duller and his shivering grew worse. "Harry?"

_"It's too late."_

A whisper sounded in the air as a cold wind picked up speed.

 _Tick Tock. Goes the Clock._   
_And what then shall we see?_   
_Tick Tock. Goes the Clock._ _  
__The Time's run out for him._

"No," Duo blurted out and cupped Harry's cheeks in his hands. "No!"

In the next moment images and memories flashed through Duo's mind and he choked up.

 _Tick Tock. Goes the Clock._   
_He gave all he could give you._   
_Tick Tock. Goes the Clock._ _  
__He needed saving too._

Duo saw it all. He saw it when Harry had said goodbye to his former lover; a man with blond hair and sad, icy-blue eyes, just so the both of them could fulfill their duties. He saw it when Harry married a nice, red-haired girl. He saw it when Harry first held his son in his arms.

He felt the love Harry had for the small creature. He saw it when Harry found out his wife and son were dead. He felt Harry's pain and sorrow. He saw Harry leaving everything behind, knowing he would never find peace.

He saw Harry saying goodbye to everything he held dear. Everything he loved. He saw it when Harry walked into that cave for the first time, shivering and shaking from the cold, tears of pain and loss streaming down his cheeks.

 _Savior; brave and bold._   
_You fought and stood against Her._   
_You lost everything,_ _  
__fighting for what's good._

He felt the peace Harry felt, locked inside that icy prison. He watched as Harry watched the world, losing sense of himself, locked away alone for decades.

Decades which slowly turned to centuries.

Duo saw the beginnings of the wars from Harry's perspective. He saw Heero, Quatre, Trowa, Wufei and himself as Harry saw them. He felt Harry's sorrow and compassion as he watched them grow. He felt Harry's pride as he watched them win.

He felt Harry's joy when Heero and Relena got together, when Quatre and Trowa admitted their love for each other, when Wufei and Sally finally opened their hearts to one another.

And he felt Harry's sadness as he watched _him_.

Duo felt Harry's heart break as he watched how he pulled away from everything. He felt Harry's heart fill with compassion and love as he watched him struggle in a world without war. He choked up when Harry's emotions overwhelmed him.

Duo watched as something else disturbed Harry's rest. He _felt_ the darkness rising. He _felt_ Harry's struggle as he tried to get out of his icy prison, and his heart skipped a beat when he saw himself and Wufei setting Harry free.

 _Tick Tock. Goes the Clock._   
_And what then shall we play?_   
_Tick Tock. Goes the Clock._ _  
__Now time has flown away._

Duo felt the power Harry used to go back in time. He experienced Harry waking up in a hospital room without knowing what was going on, knowing only his name. He saw Harry struggle to walk again. He saw Harry doing his best to make himself a place in this world, with one thing in mind.

Duo.

 _Tick Tock. Goes the Clock._   
_He laughed at Fate and mourned Her._   
_Tick Tock. Goes the Clock._ _  
__Now rest waits for the Savior._

"No…" Duo whispered as he watched everything revolve from Harry's perspective. His eyes filled with tears as he felt Harry's joy when they first met. His breath hitched in his throat as he listened to Harry's thoughts. His body shivered with passion as the memories of their first night together flashed through his mind.

 _I love you -_ whispered into the dead of the night.

Duo let go of a wavering breath when Harry's love for him hugged his heart tightly.

_...no one ever loved him for who he is..._

He cried when he realized that Harry knew from the beginning he would have to leave if Duo didn't see him for who he was.

His heart broke when he realized that despite everything Harry had risked his heart just to try and show Duo that he wasn't as bitter and lost as Duo thought he was.

_"You were a great Gundam Pilot. You did your very best. You survived; you didn't allow the war to turn you into a bitter, sad creature it turned most soldiers in. Yes, you may have allowed your job to pull you in to the border of obsession, but you didn't forget your friends. They simply should have tried harder to pull you away from it."_

Duo's eyes snapped open and he looked in Harry's glowing orbs. Harry's breathing was strained and heavy and the shivering stopped. The air around them was cold and a strong wind was blowing.

"Harry?"

 _You are smart, intelligent, quick on your feet and you have a heart of gold. You will_ _never_ _belittle yourself in my presence again, do I make myself clear?_

"Harry, snap out of it," Duo murmured hurriedly, fighting against the pull of Harry's memories, trying to bring Harry out of whatever was pulling him away from Duo. "Harry, snap out of it!"

 _We'll take care of this case. We'll beat this together. You promise me – you_ _swear_ _to me that after this shit is over, you'll remember what I told you, alright?_

"Harry, please – please, don't go," Duo whispered as he caressed Harry's ice cold cheeks with his thumbs. "I need you, you self-sacrificing, dumb idiot! Can't you feel it? Harry, please!" Duo snapped and something glowed in Harry's eyes. "There's – There's so much for you here! Heero, Wufei, Trowa, Quatre, Relena and Sally would _love_ you, if you only let them get to know you better! We would all have so much fun together! You – you can't leave me alone with them! You can't leave me alone again, Harry!"

 _Tick Tock. Goes the Clock._   
_And Time slips away._   
_Tick Tock. Goes the Clock._ _  
__Goodbye you have to say._

Duo whimpered when he saw that the ice moved all the way up to Harry's knees and that it was growing steadily harder.

"I need you, Harry!" Duo cried out weakly and rested his forehead on Harry's. "I – I love you."

In that moment Harry's breathing stopped and everything stilled.

Duo opened his eyes and looked in Harry's. "Harry?" he murmured. He didn't notice that the wind suddenly stopped. He didn't notice that the temperature stopped dropping. He didn't notice that the ice stopped moving.

He saw the way Harry's lips quivered. He heard the slight intake of breath. He felt a shiver run down Harry's body. He saw a spark come to life in Harry's eyes.

"That's it, Harry," he whispered and kissed Harry's lips lightly. "That's it. Come back to me, you idiot. You know I can't do this alone. I can't. Not without you. I'll just – I'll just go back to how I was before that mission. I'll just go back to being that stupid, broken shell of myself, because it was _you_ , whether you want to admit it or not, that brought me out. It wasn't Wufei, or Quatre, or Trowa, or Heero, it was you. Your stupid disappearance. That stupid mission. _You_ brought me out, Harry." A tear slipped down Duo's cheek and fell on Harry's lips.

Harry's tongue flicked out and licked his bottom lip. "Duo?" he murmured and Duo almost whimpered.

"That's right, you dumb _fuck_. I'm right here, and I'm not letting you go!" Duo gripped Harry's face harder and rested his forehead on Harry's. "I'm not letting you go. I need you, Harry. I need you."

"Duo…" the braided man felt Harry's hands fist on his sides. He almost _heard_ Harry's heartbeat quicken.

"Don't leave me, Harry." Duo begged and Harry shivered. "I need you. I need you more than I've ever needed anyone."

"Duo…"

" _I love you_ , Harry." A gust of warm wind passed over them and Duo shivered when he felt Harry's arms wrap themselves around him. Duo moved closer to Harry until he was sitting between Harry's legs. He wrapped his arms around Harry's shoulders and buried his nose in Harry's neck.

"Duo?" he looked up slowly and his breath hitched when he looked in Harry's eyes. They were filled with more life than ever before. Harry's lips weren't as blue as they were before. Color was slowly returning to his skin. He was still shivering, but it wasn't from the cold.

Ice was quickly melting off of his legs.

Duo gulped when Harry raised his right hand and gently caressed Duo's cheek with the back of his fingers.

"Say it again," Harry murmured in a deep, tight voice.

"I love you," Duo whispered and Harry swallowed difficultly.

"Again," he bit out and bowed down to rest his forehead on Duo's.

"I love you."

Harry kissed him hard and his hold on Duo tightened making Duo yelp. "Again," Harry growled as he pushed his hand under Duo's shirt, and Duo felt Harry's member awaken against his thigh.

"I love – God, Harry, I love you." Duo suddenly found himself on his back with Harry over him, the muscles of his arms, shoulders and chest flexing as he leaned over him. "I love you."

And then Harry kissed Duo with every piece of love, hope, desperation and passion he had in his body. "I love you too."

**cut**

Quatre gasped when Duo ran into his office. Duo's hair was a mess, his clothes looked like they were just thrown on him, his eyes were wide, and he was breathing as though he ran a mile.

"He's gone," he gasped out and Quatre frowned.

"What?"

"He –I went to him! I talked to him! We – I told him I loved him! I – We – We _slept_ together! I thought he was fine! Quatre! He's gone! I woke up and he wasn't there!"

"Duo, calm down!" Quatre shouted and ran over to his best friend. He gripped Duo's shoulders tightly and led him over to the couch. The braided man was hyperventilating and he was shivering like mad. "Are you sure he's gone? Did he leave a message? Did he…"

"Nothing! I woke up and the house was empty. All the boxes and – and things, they were all still there, but he was gone!"

"Did you try to call him? Did you…"

"He's gone, Quatre!" Duo cried out and tears filled his eyes. "You didn't see him yesterday! He started freezing already! He was leaving already! He's gone! It wasn't enough…" in that moment Quatre's phone rang and both of them jumped in their places. Quatre looked first at Duo and then at his phone.

_*This is the secretary of Quatre Barton. Leave your message after the signal.*_

_"Quatre, this is Harry. Please, if you're near, pick up!"_

Quatre rushed over to the phone and picked up quickly. "Harry? What the hell happened?!"

_"I don't know where Duo is. I left to the closest store to pick up a few things. I came back and found him gone. His phone is turned off. Quatre, do you know where he could have gone."_

Quatre looked at Duo who was standing rooted to his place. "He's with me, Harry. He's…" both of them jumped in their places, when in a swirl of colors Harry appeared in the room.

"Harry!" Duo gasped and ran into Harry's arms. Harry's phone fell on the ground and broke as he wrapped his arms around Duo.

"Duo…"

"You idiot!" Duo snapped and pulled back. "Do you have any idea how worried I was?! After the stunt you pulled yesterday-…"

"I left you a note!" Harry cut him off. "I left it on my pillow. I wrote that I went to the closest store to buy something to eat!" Duo gaped at him and Quatre, despite everything, couldn't help but chuckle.

The door of his office opened again and Trowa walked in only to stop in his tracks when everyone looked at him. "I heard shouting," he stated and Quatre snickered.

"We'll leave you two alone," he said, walked over to Trowa and took his left hand in his right, leading him out of the room.

Once the door closed Duo and Harry looked at each other.

"Duo…" Harry's head snapped to the side when Duo hit him.

"Don't you _ever_ do that again!" Duo snapped. His hands were fisted by his sides, his eyes were full of tears, and he was shaking like a leaf in the wind. "Don't you ever – _ever_ do that again!"

Harry sighed and a small smile tilted his lips. He moved forward slowly, carefully, and gently wrapped his arms around Duo. "I'm sorry," Harry whispered as he pulled Duo close. Duo hugged him tightly and buried his face in Harry's neck. "I'm sorry, love," Harry said and cupped the back of Duo's head with his right hand while he rubbed soothing circles in Duo's back with his left.

"I was so afraid. I was afraid you left for good. After yesterday – After I saw you fading, I thought…"

"Hush..." Harry whispered. "I made a mistake. I should have woken you up. I'm sorry. I'll never do that again. I promise. No more leaving like that. I promise."

Duo shivered against Harry. They stood in place, swaying lightly as Duo slowly calmed down. He pulled back after some time and roughly wiped the tears that escaped his eyes away with his right hand. "How _stupid_ of me," he muttered and Harry chuckled.

He cupped Duo's face between his hands and kissed him lightly. "It was stupid of me, not of you. The note must have fallen off the pillow and you probably covered it with the blanket. I should have woken you up. It was my mistake and I'm sorry."

Duo chuckled and shook his head. "It's okay. Just – Just don't do that again. _Ever_ again. I think you've provided me with a new set of nightmares with what happened yesterday."

Harry's eyes filled with sadness and he caressed Duo's cheeks with his thumbs. "I'm sorry."

"No." Duo shook his head. "It was my mistake. I was too stupid not to figure it out immediately."

"You didn't have a lot to work on, to be perfectly straight."

Duo chuckled at that and Harry snickered. "Sure," Duo said and rubbed his hands against his thighs. "Straight. Right."

Harry chuckled and shook his head. "You okay now?" he asked and Duo snorted.

"I'm far from okay. My boyfriend is a 300 year old Wizard. I think I'll need some time to get used to that." Harry chuckled and hugged Duo again, his shoulders relaxing when Duo hugged him back and rested his head on Harry's shoulder.

"Think of it like this," Harry murmured. "When we're on a mission together, now that I don't have to _hide_ anything, both of us will be safer. I have the Elder Wand now, so my magic will be easier to control and besides; it seems I've somehow retrieved my memories again."

Duo looked up at Harry with a frown. "So what I've seen yesterday…"

"Was almost everything of my life before I got myself trapped," Harry continued and Duo hummed.

" _Almost_ everything?"

Harry chuckled. "Yeah. You didn't see my _younger_ years, the time I spent in Hogwarts…"

"Hogwarts?" Duo asked with a frown and Harry groaned.

"It's a _long_ story."

Duo smiled. "Well _maybe_ you could tell me over dinner," Duo suggested and Harry raised an eyebrow at him.

"Right! You _still_ owe me dinner."

"Hey!" Duo snapped. "I cooked during the mission."

"Yeah, but the deal was our first _free_ night. That doesn't count," Harry said and Duo snorted, leaning his head back when Harry started kissing down his neck.

"If _anyone_ owes someone dinner it would be _you,_ mister," Duo said, trying to stand strong under the gentle nips and kisses Harry was littering down his neck, and the gentle scrapping of Harry nails over Duo's skin, just over the waistband of Duo's pants. "Dinner, movies and a slow, nice, _long_ round of sex."

Harry chuckled and Duo shivered when Harry's warm hands slipped down Duo's thighs and gripped his ass, pulling him closer. "Whatever you wish," he said and Duo moaned.

"NO SEX IN MY OFFICE!" the two jumped apart when Quatre shouted.

They looked at each other and burst into fits of laughter.

"So!" Duo said and looked at Harry, his eyes filled with mischief. "Just _how_ did you get here so fast and would it work for the both of us?"

Harry chuckled and kissed Duo again. "Hold on tight." And they disappeared in a flash of color.

**cut**

Translation of Harry's Tracking Spell:

I summon thee and beseech thee, Creation of all Creations.  
Hear your son's plea.  
Answer me.  
Find that which I lost.  
Bring back what I cherish most.  
Answer me.  
I summon thee and beseech thee, Mother of All.  
Bring back what I've lost.  
Bring back what I cherish most.  
Answer me!


	12. Epilogue

**cut**

Une looked up when three strong knocks broke the silence of her office.

"Come in," she said and the door opened. Harry walked in with a small smile on his face, and Une had to try hard as not to smile back at him.

"Good morning, commander," he said and walked over to her desk.

"Mr. Potter." She nodded, and opened the top drawer of her desk and pulled out his resignation papers. "I wanted to talk about this with you."

He smiled again and offered his right hand to her. This time she couldn't help but smile as he took the papers from her, looked at them and in front of her eyes the papers burst into blue flames, disappearing into thin air.

'This will take some getting used to,' she though as she looked into his eyes.

"Welcome back, Special Agent Beast. You and Special Agent Shinigami are on leave for the time being. You will be summoned back to Active Duty when I deem it necessary."

"Thank you, Commander." Harry bowed his head at her. "I'll see you later," he said, turned on his heel, and moved for the door.

"Harry?" he stopped and turned to look at her with his left hand on the doorknob.

"Yes?"

"Make use of your free time," she said. "I need both of my best Agents at their top performance."

Harry smiled and nodded his head. "As you wish," he said and left.

Une smiled when the door closed and sighed. "Well, at least I won't have to worry about them as much anymore," she said and went back to paperwork. The day was still young and she had a lot of work to do. "Whoever invented paperwork – I hope he's rolling in his grave."

**cut**

"And there we were, three _eleven year olds,_ standing face to face with a _huge, three headed DOG!_ " Harry said and the others looked at him wide-eyed.

"A three headed dog?" Sally asked and Relena tsked, cradling her newborn to her chest.

"Later we found out it was Hagrid's dog and that his name was _Fluffy_! Who names a huge, 2 tone, three headed dog _Fluffy!"_

"Apparently Hagrid," Duo drawled as he walked over with snacks and threw himself on the love seat beside Harry with a bowl of popcorn in his lap. He kissed Harry's cheek and Harry smiled at him.

"What happened then?" Wufei asked and Harry rolled his eyes.

"We ran as fast as we damn well could. We _knew_ it was protecting something, but we didn't know what. I'll never forget what Hermione told us. She said - and I quote: 'Now if you two don't mind, I'm going to bed before _either_ of you come up with another clever idea to get us killed, or worse _expelled._ '"

Duo snorted and shook his head. "She needed to get her priorities straight," he muttered and Harry chuckled.

"That's what Ron said."

"But I thought you said Hermione and Ron were your best friends," Quatre said. He and Trowa were snuggled in an armchair. Heero and Relena were on the couch with their newborn baby girl in Relena's arms, and Heero's arms wrapped securely around the both of them, while Wufei and Sally snuggled in the second love seat.

"We _were,_ " Harry clarified and popped a few popcorns in his mouth after Duo tried to swat his hand away. "Nothing brings together a few _very_ different people like surviving a fight against a cave troll."

"A _cave troll_?" Sally asked and Harry nodded. "Your childhood wasn't exactly a safe one."

Harry shrugged. "No, it wasn't. My first year at Hogwarts _alone_ wasn't all that safe. Fluffy and the troll were the _least_ of our worries. Hagrid actually had a _baby dragon_ for a short while, and Ron, Mione and I ended up in detention when we helped Hagrid get rid of it by giving it to Ron's older brother who worked with Dragons. Then we figured out Voldemort was trying to get his hands on the Philosopher stone which Dumbledore cleverly hid in a _school_. We faced Fluffy again, _then_ fell into a Devil's snare, a _huge_ carnivorous plant, and it took Hermione a bit _too long_ to remember the Devil's snare was afraid of light. _Then_ we ended up trying to catch a _flying key_ only to end up in the middle of a _huge_ chess game, and you must know that in Wizarding Chess the pieces are actually moving and _killing_ each other. Ron got hurt and Hermione stayed behind with him so I had to face the culprit _alone_ , because _Dumbledore_ of course, wasn't at school and no one wanted to listen to us when we said someone would try to steal the Philosopher stone."

"So you faced Voldemort alone?" Heero asked and Harry nodded.

"The biggest shock was when I didn't find _Snape_ there as I thought I would, but professor Quirrell."

"The stuttering, useless mess of a man?!" Wufei cried out in outrage and Harry nodded.

"Voldemort possessed him. Quirrell took off his turban and you wouldn't _believe_ just how shocking it was to see Voldemort's _face_ on the back of Quirrell's head."

"I still find it hard to believe all of that happened," Trowa said and Harry snorted.

"Trust me. I would find it hard to believe if I didn't live through it."

"Please. Two months ago we didn't even know magic was real," Duo drawled and swatted Harry's hand away from his popcorn. "My popcorn," he bit out. "Go get yourself your own."

Harry pouted at him. "Please?"

"He's in the middle of a story!" Relena whined and Duo rolled his eyes.

Harry grinned at Duo when he offered the bowl of popcorn to him. "Thank you!" he said and grabbed a fistful.

"What happened next?" Quatre asked and Harry swallowed.

"Well, Voldemort tried to make me give him the stone. He knew the Mirror of Erised was the key to getting it, but he didn't know _how_. The trick to getting the stone was that you needed to want to _find_ the Stone, but not want to _use_ it. Voldemort wanted to find it, but he also wanted to use it, so there was no way for him to get it. I got the Stone and tried to lie to him, but Voldemort was skilled in Mind-reading Arts so he saw right through me. He ordered Quirrell to attack me. Next thing I know I'm waking up in the hospital, with a _splitting_ headache and Dumbledore telling me that it was the love I felt that killed Quirrell."

" _Love_?" Duo drawled dryly and Harry rolled his eyes.

"Dumbledore was a master of puzzles and manipulation," he clarified. "He told me my mother's love saved me the night Voldemort came to kill me when I was a baby. In a way it did."

"How?" Wufei asked, voice laced with doubt.

"Voldemort always desired immortality. His _name_ even means 'flight from death', so he found a way to achieve it. He split his soul and locked the pieces in five different objects and one into his snake, Nagini. When he came to kill me, my mother stood between him and me. Voldemort wouldn't have killed her if she only stepped away. When he _did_ kill her his soul split again, and he created the seventh Horcrux he never meant to create; me. So when he tried to kill me the Killing curse rebounded and hit him instead. The reason why Quirrell died was because I was Voldemort's seventh Horcrux and its evil burned him away trying to protect itself."

"So, in a way, your mother's love _did_ save you," Quatre concluded and Harry nodded.

"In a way, yes."

"You've lived quite a life," Trowa commented and Harry snorted.

"Yeah. I lived a life of fighting and surviving. I wouldn't call that a life to be perfectly honest."

"And _still_ you're a member of Preventers and you're _still_ fighting," Sally said.

"Yeah, but I'm doing it now because I have a choice," Harry answered. "Back then I didn't have a choice. I fought for my life and the lives of those I loved. I've lost a lot and gained little, only to lose what little I've gained." He looked at Duo when the man nuzzled closer to him. He smiled and leaned over to kiss Duo's forehead.

"You must have a lot of stories," Relena said and Harry chuckled.

"Yeah; I have a lot of stories," he looked out the window and smiled, "but it's getting late and Duo and I have to go back to work tomorrow."

"I almost forgot Une called us in," Duo groaned and Harry chuckled while the others rolled their eyes at him.

"At least it's just a simple mission and we're going in alone. We'll be done before you know it."

Duo sighed and stood up. "Sure," he grumbled while everyone got on their feet to greet the two. When Relena came over both Duo and Harry kissed the little girl's forehead before they gently hugged them both.

"We'll see you when we come back," Harry said.

"You two be careful, alright?" Relena warned while Harry helped Duo with his cloak.

"We're always careful," Duo said and Relena snorted.

"Yeah right," she muttered, and Duo and Harry grinned at her. They waved at the others and left the house. Harry draped his right arm over Duo's shoulders as they walked towards their car.

"This was nice," Duo commented as Harry let go of him to enter the car. They locked their doors, put their seatbelts on, and Duo started the engine.

"It was," Harry said and relaxed in his seat.

"When are we supposed to be at the HQ tomorrow?" Duo asked.

"5:00 sharp," Harry said and looked at his wristwatch. "Exactly 7 hours from now." Duo groaned.

"I've gotten used to at least 8 hours of sleep."

Harry chuckled, looking out the window at the road. There was silence in the car for a few moments and Duo spared a glance at Harry's profile.

"Harry?"

"Hm?"

"Is everything okay?" Duo asked and Harry looked at him with a confused frown on his face.

"Of course it is. Why wouldn't it be?"

Duo swallowed and licked his lips. "You've been somewhat quiet today," he commented and Harry's frown deepened. He caught sight of Duo's white knuckles and realization stroke him.

"Shit," he muttered. "Stop the car." With a frown of confusion marring his face, Duo did as he was told. The moment they stopped, Harry unbuckled his seat belt, cupped Duo's face between his hands and made him look at him. "Look at me," Harry said when Duo tried to avoid looking into Harry's eyes, but although Harry's hold on him was gentle, Duo was still unable to move. "You've had that nightmare again."

Duo nodded as he licked his dry lips.

Harry sighed and leaned over to kiss Duo. "I'm right here, Duo," he said and hugged Duo lovingly. "I'm not going anywhere."

Duo hugged him back around his seatbelt and buried his face in Harry's neck. "I don't know why I've dreamed about it again."

Harry kissed Duo's temple. "It's just a nightmare. I'm alive. I'm fine. I'm not leaving you. I wouldn't leave you even if you told me to. I'll never leave you, Duo. I love you, alright? I'm not going anywhere." Duo hugged Harry tighter and nuzzled against his cheek. "I can call Une. I can tell her we're not ready for missions yet. I can…"

"No," Duo cut him off and moved back a little. "No. We need to do this. _I_ need to do this."

Harry smiled at Duo lovingly before he pulled him closer and kissed him. "And I'll be right there beside you."

Duo sighed when Harry rested his forehead on his. "I love you," he whispered and Harry chuckled.

"I love you too. Do you want me to drive?" he asked and Duo shook his head with a small smile on his lips. He started the car again and Harry tied his seatbelt.

"I'm fine."

**cut**

"Remind me to _kill_ our Handler!" Duo snapped when they entered the locker room of the Preventer HQ. The building was empty since Une left after they came back from the mission. They debated waiting until they got home to shower, but decided against it, since they _knew_ the stench of sewers would be damn hard to clean out of the leather seats of their car.

"I'll hold him down for you," Harry muttered darkly as he pulled off his stinky, sticky uniform and toed of his shoes.

Duo cursed under his breath when the zipper of his uniform got stuck in his hair.

"I'll get that," Harry said and walked over to Duo. With quick, nimble fingers he managed to get the zipper out of the knot in Duo's hair. He kissed the nape of Duo's neck and the braided man sighed.

"Thank you," he said and moved on to his pants. Harry shivered and smirked as Duo walked butt-naked into the closest showering stall. Harry quickly took off his pants and socks, and followed after Duo. "There are _other_ stalls here," Duo spoke with his head thrown back as the water cascaded down his body. Harry chuckled and Duo shivered when the raven haired man hugged him from behind and pulled him close to his hard body.

"But I want to shower with you," Harry murmured against Duo's right ear. "Besides, you need help washing your hair."

Duo groaned when he felt Harry's need on the small of his back. "You're insatiable," he hummed and Harry chuckled.

"Only for you."

Duo yelped when Harry spun him around quickly and pulled him into a kiss. He felt Harry pull the band out of Duo's hair, and the heavy tresses were set free. Duo groaned when Harry thrust against him and his back hit the cold tiles of the shower.

"I thought you'd help me wash my hair," Duo said and Harry chuckled against his lips. Duo shivered harshly when Harry's warm magic danced around them and the stench disappeared together with the feeling of being dirty. "You couldn't have done this before?"

"No. I didn't want to risk anyone seeing anything."

"Oh…" Duo shivered and moaned when Harry fondled his awakening erection. "Thought so," he gasped and Harry chuckled.

He pushed one leg between Duo's as he kissed down Duo's neck, fingers playing with Duo's nipple. Duo sighed as his shoulders relaxed, and he leaned back against the wall as Harry went lower and lower. The water cascaded over them, washing away the dirt and grime Harry's magic didn't clean. Duo sighed and threw his head back when Harry kneeled in front of him and teased his cock with kisses and licks.

"Damn it, Harry," Duo hissed and his fingers entwined in Harry's hair. His breath caught in his throat and his knees almost gave up on him when Harry swallowed him whole. "Harry – Harry someone might still be here! Harry…"

"Hush..." Harry cut him off warmly as he climbed up and kissed Duo, his right hand grabbing Duo's dick and tugging in a slow, steady rhythm. "Then we'll just have to be quiet." Harry teased slyly and Duo bit into his bottom lip to muffle a moan when Harry turned him around and rubbed his cock against Duo's ass.

"You're insane…" Duo breathed out and Harry chuckled against his ear, his body flat against Duo's as he teased Duo's entrance with his left index finger.

"I don't see you fighting me."

"We don't have any…" Duo's breath caught in his throat when he felt Harry's lubed fingers against his entrance.

"Don't you _love_ magic?" Harry murmured and Duo shivered when Harry started preparing him. Duo crossed his arms on the wall in front of himself and bit into his forearm as he fucked himself on Harry's fingers. Harry's right hand sneaked under him and took a firm hold of his dick, pumping in time with his thrusts.

"Damn it, Harry!" Duo hissed as he bowed forward with his knees threatening to betray him, and Harry's fingers disappeared. Duo's moan of disappointment turned into a scream of pleasure when Harry entered him in one swift thrust.

"Merlin, Duo…" Harry bit out and his fingers dug into Duo's sides with a bruising force. He started to move slowly, drawing out the pleasure as much as he could.

"Damn it, Harry, faster!" Duo hissed and Harry growled.

His thrusts became quicker, his grip on Duo tighter, and the locker room was soon filled with their moans and grunts.

"Harry…" Duo groaned when Harry pulled out only to gasp when he was suddenly turned around.

Harry picked Duo up effortlessly and slammed back into him. Duo threw his head back in a breathless moan, and wrapped his arms and legs around Harry. His cock was trapped between their stomachs, and Harry Duo's his prostate with every frantic thrust.

"Close – so – so close…" Duo pressed out threw his teeth and Harry pulled him into a kiss.

"Come for me, Duo," he growled against Duo's lips and Duo came after an almost painfully hard thrust. The squeezing of Duo's already tight entrance brought Harry over the edge and he came hard and fast.

Before his knees betrayed him, Harry turned them around quickly, leaned against the wall and slid down with Duo in his lap. They sat there breathing together as the warm water fell down on them. Duo shivered when Harry's fingers started to draw small circles on his skin. He moved and Harry tensed up.

"Don't move," he bit out. "Not unless you want another round." Duo chuckled and hugged Harry tighter. He never knew it would come to this.

He wasn't talking about him having sex with someone in the showers at the Preventers HQ.

No.

Duo was talking about him being with someone he would be comfortable around enough to do this.

He was talking about him being with someone who would know exactly what he needed, _when_ he needed it.

Someone who knew him better than he knew himself.

Someone who loved him, and who he loved more than he thought he would ever love anyone.

And the very thought he almost lost it all because he was too big of a coward to admit he fell in love with this man, made his heart clench and his breath hitch in his throat.

"Stop thinking," Harry whispered. He was playing with Duo's wet hair, wondering about how it seemed almost _red_ under the light of the locker room. "We're fine. You're fine. I'm fine. Everything's alright. Stop thinking of 'what ifs' and 'could have beens'." Duo chuckled and moved back a little, smirking when Harry winced. He rolled his hips, feeling Harry's dick grow hard again inside him. It was pressing against his prostate still and Duo felt his own cock come back to life. Harry cupped his cheek and pulled him into a loving kiss as they moved together slowly.

"I love you," Duo whispered as he felt his orgasm coming. Harry grunted, pulled Duo close and quickened the pace. Duo wrapped his arms around Harry's shoulders and Harry wrapped his around Duo. "I love you," he squeezed his eyes tightly shut as warmth pooled in his lower abdomen again.

"Duo…" he came and felt Harry fill him with his seed.

"I love you too, Duo. I love you too."

**cut**

**5 YEARS LATER**

**cut**

"Uncle Duo! Uncle Harry!"

"Elizabeth!" Duo called out with a grin and scooped the 5 year old into his arms. She laughed and squealed when Duo threw her into the air and caught her again, while Harry laughed behind him, carrying two baskets in his arms. "You've grown even bigger, munchkin! Soon enough I won't be able to carry you around!" Duo said and Elizabeth, called Lizzy out of love, giggled.

"Silly, Uncle! You'll _always_ be able to carry me."

Duo chuckled as they reached their friends and put her down. "Right you are." He turned to take the baskets from Harry's hands so the raven haired man could hug their little niece.

"Duo, so glad you could make it," Relena said and hugged Duo, careful of her 9 months old son, Darren.

Duo smiled at her and kissed Darren's forehead. "We wouldn't miss this for the world," he said and went to greet the others. Wufei and Sally were sitting at the table with their 2 year old twins, Cho and Haku, Trowa was at the barbeque, and Heero and Quatre were just coming over with drinks for everyone.

"I thought I told you not to bring anything," Heero drawled with a smirk and pulled Duo into a brotherly hug while Harry greeted everyone.

"Harry taught me how to make cake and we can't eat it alone, and we stopped by a store and decided to buy some beer," Duo said and winked at Lizzy when she cheered at the cake.

Heero shook his head with a small smile. "You're still full of surprises," he said and Duo chuckled while Heero walked away to greet Harry.

"You don't look so well, Duo," Quatre murmured to Duo and the braided man sighed.

"I know. I look better than I've looked yesterday, _that's_ for sure," he muttered as the two looked around. Lizzy was running around screaming as Harry played fetch with her.

"What happened?" Quatre asked and Duo sighed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Harry had a nightmare three nights ago," he said. "We got into a fight when he didn't want to tell me what it was about. Stupid I know I just…" he sighed and shrugged. "5 years later and I _still_ can't forget. Une called him in practically right in the middle of our fight and he had to leave. She sent him off to take care of a terrorist threat in Bruxelles. I couldn't contact him. He couldn't contact me. He came home yesterday tired and drained. I was asleep after I had to take two sleeping pills. He woke me up from that same old nightmare. I hadn't had it in almost two years now." Quatre sighed and placed his hand on Duo's shoulder. "I remembered yesterday that three days ago was exactly 5 years since Harry and I got together. 5 years since he almost went back to that cage." He snorted and rubbed his face. "He has the same nightmare every year on the same night, and I attacked him about it because I forgot."

"Duo…" Quatre sighed and pulled Duo into a hug. "Don't beat yourself over it. You came back from a mission, you were tired. Harry understands that. He won't go away because of a single fight."

"I know that, Quat. I just…"

"Duo?" the two looked up and saw Harry walk over to him.

"Why don't you two take the cake and the beer to the kitchen? Lunch will be over soon," Quatre said and Duo and Harry nodded.

"Right away," Harry said and grabbed one basket. Duo took the other before Harry could and the raven haired man rolled his eyes. The moment they were in the kitchen Harry took the basket from Duo's hand and placed both baskets on the floor. He pulled Duo into a hug and the braided men buried his face in Harry's shoulder.

"I thought we were alright," Harry whispered as he held Duo tightly.

"And we are, Harry. I'm just…"

"Stop," Harry said and moved back a little. He cupped Duo's face between his hands and looked in Duo's eyes. "I know you were worried. I know you're still afraid, and I _know_ that no matter how many times I tell you that I'm not leaving you, it'll take a lot more time for you to actually believe it. I don't mind saying it as many times as you need to hear it, just _stop killing yourself,_ " Harry stressed out and Duo nodded. Harry kissed him lovingly and hugged him again. "I'm right here, Duo. I'm not going anywhere."

Duo smiled and hugged Harry back. "Yeah. I know," he muttered and Harry moved back smiling down at him lovingly.

For 5 years they've already been together.

5 years of living together, sleeping together, eating together, working together, fighting each other, loving each other.

5 years ago both were lost.

5 years ago both found themselves again.

Petty arguments meant nothing.

They just spiked up their relationship.

There were nights when they would simply fall asleep in each other arms, nights when they made sweet love to each other, days when they couldn't keep their hands off of one another, and moments when they would drive everyone at Preventers insane with their bantering and teasing.

They would change none of it for the world.

"UNCLE DUO?! UNCLE HARRY?! ARE YOU HAVING SEX IN THE KITCHEN?!"

"Elizabeth?!"

"Uncle Quatre said they were probably having sex in the kitchen! Mommy, what does that mean?!"

"QUATRE BARTON, I'LL KILL YOU!"

Duo and Harry exchanged an amused glance before they burst into laughter.

Yes.

Life was good.

And they wouldn't change anything for the world.

**cut**

**THE END**


End file.
